Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 15, 2022 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation): The warm diplomatic friendship between the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Swiss Confederation was taken to even greater heights recently with a visit from the Swiss Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis Her Excellency Mrs. Rita Hammerli-Weschke.
The highlight of the Ambassador’s 8th – 11th March, 2022 visit was to solidify the establishment of an Honorary Consulate General in Saint Kitts and Nevis. While in the Federation, Ambassador Hammerli-Weschke paid courtesy calls on a number of senior government officials including Prime Minister Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, Honourable Mark Brantley, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Kaye Bass.
Some of the matters discussed included but were not limited to, exchange of expertise in human resources, academic scholarships, Switzerland’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and the proposed Basseterre Valley Solar Farm.
Thursday, 10th March saw the opening of the Honorary Consulate General, with Mr. Ernest Amory being named as Honorary Consul General of Switzerland. In giving remarks on the occasion, Ambassador Hammerli-Weschke highlighted the need for a presence in Saint Kitts and Nevis that would be the contact point for Swiss Nationals who may have issues ranging from illness to passport and other documentation. The opening was attended by Prime Minister Harris, Foreign Affairs Minister Brantley, other senior government officials, and prospective staff of the Honorary Consulate General.
