PM Harris meets Swiss Ambassador Hammerli-Weschke for official opening of the Switzerland Consulate General

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris met the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation – Rita Hammerli-Weschke, for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Switzerland Consulate General in Basseterre. During the visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the official opening of the Switzerland Consulate General in Basseterre.

During her visit, she was accompanied by CSM, MBE – Honorary Consul of the Swiss Confederation in St Kitts and Nevis – Ernest Amory.

Prime Minister Harris expressed delight and stated, “Delighted to meet with Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation, Rita Hammerli-Weschke, on her inaugural visit to St Kitts and Nevis.
Honorary Consul of the Swiss Confederation accompanied her in St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr Ernest Amory.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs St Kitts and Nevis and Premier Nevis – Mark Brantley also joined Prime Minister during this meeting with the Swiss Ambassador. He further optimised that both the nations have been looking forward to building strong relations.

“Such an honour to welcome Rita Hammerli-Weschke Ambassador of Switzerland to St Kitts and Nevis on her inaugural visit. We look forward to strengthening and deepening ties with Switzerland as they open their Honorary Consulate here later today,” the Premier of Nevis underlined.

Earlier, the relationship between St Kitts and Nevis and Switzerland are good but not particular intensive. Before the establishment, Saint Kitts and Nevis’s interests were monitored by the Swiss Embassy in the Dominican Republic.

As per the early diplomatic aspects, the Embassy in the Dominican Republic has represented the interests of Switzerland in St Kitts and Nevis since 2007. Since May 2011, all consular matters have been dealt with by the Regional Consular Centre in Santo Domingo. There were no treaties between Switzerland and St Kitts and Nevis until then.