Visiting the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is a unique experience for the senses. As soon as you arrive, you’re welcomed by a large carpet spread about before a beautiful tall structure with a modern reflective façade. In a true embodiment of its name ‘Reflections’, the pavilion is designed to combine Swiss tradition with innovation. Dressed in vibrant red, in unison with Switzerland’ flag, it’s a celebration of everything Swiss. A luxury clock made in Switzerland welcomes you as you enter indoors and by the end of your tour you can take a break at the roof top bar and indulge in decadent Swiss chocolate.
For the more adventurous types, one of the rooms inside provides for a unique immersive experience – a drastic change from the 30+ degrees outside, you’ll have an opportunity to “hike” in the mountains through a sea of fog. You are instantly transported into the Swiss Alps over 4,000 meters above the ground. “It's very much appreciated,” says H.E. Massimo Baggi, the Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in a virtual interview with the Founder of Swiss Arab Entrepreneurs, Ayman Abualkhair.
Switzerland is among the 192 participating nations in Expo 2020 and the very first to confirm its participation in the first world exhibition to be hosted by an Arab and Muslim country. It has a special role in the UAE’s first event of this scale, as the Chair of the Steering Committee of all participating countries, His Excellency tells us, reiterating his commitment to contribute to its success over the next four months. The construction of the entire Expo, sprawling over 1,080 acres of land, took almost 7 years to complete since the UAE was awarded the project back in November 2013.
“We have an institutional partnership with the government with whom we work closely in collaboration with the private sector too. Thanks to this public-private partnership we participate in the activities of most of the 11 thematic weeks at the Expo through panel discussions and content contributions,” Baggi says. These ranges from environmental related issues, such as climate and biodiversity, to wellbeing, space, urban and rural development, tolerance and inclusivity, travel and many more. “We also want to be attractive to the general public,” he adds.
Trade relations between the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland date back half a century when the late Sheikh Zayed, father of the UAE nation, was traveling to Switzerland in the 1970s. Today trade between the two nations has grown dramatically and is roughly estimated at almost CHF 20 billion. Switzerland is one of the few countries in the world which enjoys a free trade agreement with the UAE.
“The relationship now encompasses almost all sectors of our daily life,” says Baggi. “I'm very proud that Switzerland ranks among the top 10 foreign investors in the UAE,” he adds.
Goods that Switzerland exports into the UAE range from luxury products, including jewellery and watches, to pharmaceuticals and technology. Swiss producers have a long history of investing into the country too, with some of the main sectors being engineering, high precision technology manufacturing, and food and beverages. The top investors in the country currently include the multinational corporation ABB and food and drink processing giant Nestlé.
“We have more than CHF 10 billion worth of investments here. Swiss companies employ more than 10,000 people in the UAE,” says Baggi.
He adds: “Everything related to innovation, technology, and digitalization is very well received here. We also see a growing interest in agriculture. The UAE depends very much on importing their goods from abroad and food security is becoming an issue, so I see possibilities in this sector for sure,” he adds.
A shift in the UAE’s focus from relying on expat expertise to fostering and developing in-country talent will help support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country, believes Baggi. “What I see here in the UAE is investment in education at all possible levels. And I think that this is an excellent way to promote entrepreneurship. The infrastructure is already there, which we know is very important for entrepreneurship.”
Education is an important area of cooperation between the two countries, as Baggi explains.
“We speak with the authorities here about education, about the infrastructure that is required to perform globally, about the quality of living that we have in Switzerland, and the regulatory framework, which has to be favourable to business.
“In a visit from the Minister of Education of the UAE to Switzerland, we discussed apprenticeships in addition to education in general, particularly tertiary education, which involves cooperation between universities. If interest from the UAE side is confirmed, then we can offer a lot from Switzerland.”
In the entrepreneurial space, another area of cooperation for the two countries is FinTech, a growing sector globally which is expected to reach market value of $324 billion by 20211.
“Two years ago, when Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, President of the Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Finance, was visiting UAE, FinTech among our youngsters was one of the focus areas of discussion. There are also private institutions and universities involved in this space. I recently received a university from Switzerland willing to do exactly this kind of promotion.
“We also have a Swiss Business Hub at the Consulate General in Dubai, and this is exactly the type of structure that we can use to promote SMEs coming from Switzerland.”
“We focus very much on Swiss SMEs because they can be very innovative and that's exactly what the UAE needs and what we can offer.”
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There is still time to head to the Swiss Pavilion at the Dubai Expo, running from 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022. To learn more, visit: swisspavilion.org
