- there are 54,932 expatriate Sri Lankans in Switzerland as at 2012. Switzerland has for many decades extended bilateral assistance to Sri Lanka for development programmes. The value of total trade between the two countries was US $325.76 million in 2012. It is observed that there is considerable potential to increase exports to Switzerland which is a major industrialized nation and a gateway to the European markets. The proposal made by Hon. (Prof.) G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, for the establishment of a Sri Lanka Diplomatic Mission in Berne, the capital of Switzerland, with effect from 01st February, 2014, and to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the Cabinet.