Relationship dossier
Bhutan
Switzerland
Relationship assessment
A long-running development partnership, with Swiss bilateral cooperation phased out in 2016
Bhutan toward Switzerland
+25Bhutan participated in a long-running development partnership with Switzerland, including cooperation on Swiss-supported development activities. The extent of Bhutanese government engagement in specific programs is unclear.
Switzerland toward Bhutan
+35Switzerland provided long-term development cooperation in Bhutan, including support in areas such as agriculture and vocational training. Its bilateral cooperation program was phased out in 2016.
Overall relationship
+30The enduring relationship was shaped by decades of Swiss development cooperation in Bhutan and Bhutanese participation in that partnership. The bilateral program’s phase-out in 2016 marks a change in the scope of practical cooperation; the extent of subsequent government collaboration is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bhutan and Switzerland have maintained a long-running development partnership. Swiss cooperation supported Bhutanese development in areas including agriculture and vocational training, and the bilateral program was phased out in 2016 as Bhutan’s development status changed. The relationship is characterized by sustained practical cooperation, though the scope of current government collaboration is unclear.
Key developments
Swiss development cooperation in Bhutan began as a long-term partnership, supporting areas including agriculture and vocational training.
Switzerland phased out its bilateral cooperation program in Bhutan.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of Bhutanese government participation in specific Swiss-supported programs is unclear.
- The scope of direct bilateral cooperation since the Swiss program ended in 2016 is unclear.