Bilateral relations Switzerland–Panama

The Swiss embassy in San José (Costa Rica) is responsible for diplomatic relations with Panama, where Switzerland has an honorary consulate general. Switzerland and Panama have signed agreements in areas such as free trade, investment protection, air traffic, automatic exchange of financial account information and the reciprocal waiver of visa requirements.

Treaty database

Official website of the government of Panama 

In 2023, Switzerland imported goods worth CHF 44.4 million, mainly precious stones and metals, as well as jewellery. Swiss exports to Panama, consisting primarily of pharmaceutical products and watches, amounted to CHF 196 million. At the end of 2022, Swiss direct investments in Panama amounted to approximately CHF 1.4 billion, and Swiss companies employed nearly 3,229 people in the country.

The free trade agreement between EFTA and the Central American states, including Panama, came into force in 2014.

Trade promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise (SG-E)

Researchers and artists who are citizens of Panama can apply to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists, SERI 

According to the statistics on the Swiss abroad, 925 Swiss citizens were living in Panama at the end of 2023.

Switzerland recognised Panama upon its creation in 1903, and the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1941.

As early as 1884, Switzerland opened a consulate in Panama City. The consulate was closed in 1891 but reopened in 1913. It was subsequently upgraded to a consulate general in 1959 and to an embassy in 1980. Since 1995, the Swiss embassy in San José (Costa Rica) has been responsible for diplomatic relations with Panama.

Panama, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)

Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland, Dodis