The Maldives and Switzerland first established diplomatic relations in 1981 following the Maldives independence from Britain in 1965. The Maldives and Switzerland enjoy positive relations, reflected not only in both parties’ participation in international meetings but also in historic bilateral agreements. In 1993, Switzerland and the Maldives signed a bilateral agreement on air services which – among other purposes – defined the modalities for air transport routes between the two countries.  The agreement was expanded in 2006 to include the entire European community (i.e., L286/20 agreement). The Maldives is also a party in the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships framework for Foreign Scholars and Artists.

The Maldives attaches great significance to its bilateral relationship with Switzerland and hopes that it will continue to prosper politically, economically, and socially as both the Maldives and Switzerland represent similar views on issues such as Climate Change. 

The two countries foster strong economic ties mostly dominated by the tourism sector. Tens of thousands of Swiss tourists visit the Maldives every year. In 2019, Switzerland was the 10th most important country of origin for visitors to the Maldives. When compared to other European countries, Switzerland ranks 4th. Concerning goods’ trade, Swiss imports from the Maldives amounted to CHF 8.5 million in 2018.

The Maldives Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland has been accredited since 2010.