Embassy of Switzerland to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

🇨🇭🇿🇼 Supporting safer, more dignified and resilient trading spaces in Bulawayo.

Yesterday, Ambassador Stéphane Rey joined His Worship Senator David Coltart, Mr. Simon Saunyama (representing Hon. Minister Judith Ncube), City Councillors and development partners on a tour of the Highlanders Safe Market site in Bulawayo.

Switzerland is supporting The City of Bulawayo with USD 200,000 towards the upgrading of the market infrastructure to improve conditions for informal traders and strengthen urban resilience. The initiative will deliver safer, gender-sensitive and more accessible market facilities, including improved lighting, sanitation and water supply.

“Development is about people, dignity and resilience,” Ambassador Rey said, reaffirming Switzerland’s commitment to inclusive urban development and sustainable livelihoods in Zimbabwe.



© City of Bulawayo and Embassy of Switzerland.

🚌 You have not truly lived until you have boarded a Zimbabwean bus.

Last night, Ambassador Stéphane Rey helped launch Zimbabwe by Bus - a book and exhibition that rides deep into the stories, struggles, and laughter carried daily on the country's buses.

Yes, we helped support it. But the real heroes?
The writers, artists, photographers and the legendary Matambanadzo family - whose own bus journey became part of this remarkable tale.

The Ambassador put it best:
In Switzerland, people panic when a train is one minute late.
In Zimbabwe? The bus carries life itself - theatre, gossip, music, love, debate, and yes, sometimes an extreme sport.

It was a night where art, buses, and strangers became friends.
A reminder that no matter how bumpy the road, culture keeps us moving - together.

Big thanks to Irene Staunton, Isabella Matambanadzo, and Friendship Bench - Zimbabwe 🇨🇭🇿🇼

🇨🇭🇿🇼 A bittersweet farewell to two of our very best.

Today is one of those “smile-through-the-tears” days at the Embassy. After making Harare feel a little more like home, and a lot more fun, Mr. Aris Dorizzi and Ms. Liliane Tarnutzer are packing their bags and heading back to Switzerland.

Aris – thank you for your sharp mind, your even sharper wit, and for never once complaining about the workload (even when we all knew you should have).

Liliane – your kindness, your legendary organizational superpowers, and your unwavering passion for gender, health and governance will leave a gap that will not be easily filled.

Together, you brought heart, humor and a healthy dose of Swiss precision to our Harare family. The office already feels quieter… and a little less bright.

We are sad to see you go, but genuinely happy for the next chapter waiting for you back home.

Go with our deepest gratitude and warmest wishes. You’ll always have a second home in Zimbabwe. 🇿🇼❤️🇨🇭

Today, on Africa Day 2026, the Embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe joins the people of Africa in celebrating the continent’s rich heritage, diversity, resilience, and shared aspirations for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

Africa Day is a reminder of the strength found in unity and cooperation across borders. Switzerland values its longstanding partnerships with African nations and remains committed to working together in advancing innovation, human rights, good governance, climate action, trade, and inclusive development.

As we commemorate this important day, we celebrate the energy, creativity, and potential of Africa’s people — especially the youth who continue to shape the continent’s future with determination and vision.

Happy Africa Day!

🇨🇭🇿🇼 Swiss National Day - with a proudly Zimbabwean flavour

Last week’s Swiss National Day celebration came with a delicious twist.

As our Ambassador said, guests did not just hear about the food security Switzerland supports through Swiss Development & Cooperation… they tasted it.

So, for one evening, we swapped some of the usual Swiss cheese and chocolate for Zimbabwean millet and sorghum - lovingly prepared by local women and grown by smallholder farmers supported through agroecology, traditional seeds and climate-smart farming.

The result? A diplomatic reception where the menu was proudly local, deeply meaningful… and very tasty.

Because sometimes diplomacy should not only be discussed - it should be served.

Here is to resilient traditions, bold local flavours and partnerships that taste this good.

What a night to remember! 🇨🇭

One of the most joyful and unforgettable Swiss National Day / Swiss Night celebrations we have ever had — filled with laughter, networking, dancing, delicious food, music, and wonderful friendships. 💃🕺🥂

This year’s celebration was extra special as we also saying goodbye to H.E. Ambassador Stéphane Rey and his wife Sogol after four remarkable years in Zimbabwe. Their warmth, dedication, and belief in dialogue, partnership and people have left a lasting mark on all of us.

From celebrating Zimbabwean culture and traditional grains to dancing late into the evening with friends from near and far, the night perfectly reflected the spirit Ambassador Rey spoke about: unity, resilience, friendship, and hope for the future.

As the Ambassador said, “Zimbabwe stays with you – in its landscapes, in its music, in its laughter and in its spirit.” ❤️

Thank you to everyone who made the evening so memorable. Switzerland and Zimbabwe — a partnership built on trust, shared values and many beautiful memories.

🇨🇭🇿🇼

🇨🇭 Switzerland and partners supports stronger rural healthcare in Zambia!

At the beginning of May, rural healthcare in took a major step forward. The Ministry of Health Zambia, together with SolidarMed Zambia and the Swiss Government through the Swiss Development & Cooperation (SDC), officially commissioned five new Skills Labs in:

📍 Kaoma 📍 Chitambo 📍 Mbala 📍 Nchanga 📍 Kashikishi

These modern labs are transforming how nursing and midwifery students are trained, equipping them with practical skills to serve communities where they are needed most.

Why this matters:

📉 Closing the gap: Zambia currently has only 20 nurses per 10,000 people, well below the WHO benchmark.
📈 Proven success: Over 60% of graduates from this training model choose to work in rural areas.

Massive impact: By the end of this year, this initiative will produce over 2,000 additional graduates, improving healthcare access for more than 2 million Zambians.

Switzerland remains committed to strengthening health systems and leaving no one behind. 🇨🇭🤝🇿🇲

© Credits – SolidarMed Zambia

Good things are happening in Zimbabwe – with a little Swiss support 🇨🇭🤝🇿🇼

Switzerland, together with the UNICEF Zimbabwe and World Bank Group, is helping the Government of Zimbabwe roll out a smart digital Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) linked to the Zimbabwe Social Registry (ZISO).

The result? People can safely and confidentially report concerns with social protection programmes – and get timely responses. More transparency, accountability, and ultimately better services for all.

Our team saw the pilot in action in Mangwe District – and evidence shows it can make a real difference.

We also visited Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo, where – with Swiss support including computers and solar power – the Civil Registry office now issues same-day birth certificates. A huge improvement from a one-week wait, especially for young families traveling from remote areas.

The office also helps parents obtain IDs, and demand is growing fast – a clear sign these services are needed and valued.

Digital solutions, real impact, stronger communities. 🇨🇭🇿🇼

🇨🇭🇿🇼 Championing health and hope for adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe

Meet Nothando*, a 16-year-old orphan from Chikomba district. With support from her grandmother, she started antiretroviral therapy (ART) after being diagnosed with HIV. But when adherence became a challenge and her viral load spiked, a dedicated team stepped in.

Thanks to the Zvandiri Programme – funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) – Nothando received enhanced adherence counselling, home visits, and playful yet powerful tools like the Masas’ card game to help her understand her HIV status and the importance of taking her medicine.

With the collaborative support of Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS), health workers, and her grandmother, Nothando’s viral load dropped from over 354,000 to just 29 copies – suppressed and stable.

Now, she dreams of becoming a nurse. 💉❤️

👉 Switzerland is proud to support the Zvandiri Programme across 19 districts in Zimbabwe, helping children and adolescents living with HIV not just to survive, but to thrive.

*Name changed to protect privacy.



Photo Credit: © Zvandiri

🎬✨ WHAT. A. NIGHT! ✨🎬

Yesterday, the Alliance Francaise de Harare was absolutely buzzing for the premiere of God Sleeps on Sundays, and wow… what a full house! Thank you to everyone who came out and made it such a special, electric evening.

This powerful film is more than just storytelling, it is a bold and thought-provoking revelation of the tensions and connections between Christianity and African Tradition. A story that challenges, inspires, and stays with you long after the credits roll. 💭

👏 Huge kudos to the incredibly talented Naishe Nyambuya and Sue-Ellen Chitunya, producer and director of the film. Your creativity, courage and vision are shining examples of Zimbabwean excellence on the global stage! Saluting your success at the Locarno Film Festival in 2025

And indeed, what we witnessed last night is proof that when talent meets opportunity, remarkable things happen.

Thank you once again to everyone who joined us — your energy and support mean everything. Here is to many more stories that spark conversation, bridge cultures and celebrate the richness of Zimbabwean creativity.

Locarno Film Festival