Swiss President to Visit the Philippines

The Philippines has a minimal trade relationship with Switzerland. The European state buys only 0.07% of the Philippines' exports and supplies only 0.49% of the country's total imports. Because of this almost insignificant trade relationship and perhaps, to also strengthen other ties between the two countries, the President of Switzerland is scheduled to come on August 11-12, 2008. Let's hope that the visit will result to more Philippine exports to the distant and wealthy state. This is the first time a Swiss President visits another country.

The acting Swiss President is Pascal Couchepin a member of the Swiss Federal Council since 1998 and President of the Swiss Confederation in 2003 and 2008. Pascal Couchepin has been the head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs since 2003. He started his political career as Deputy Mayor (1976) and Mayor of Martigny (Valais) (1984) and was a member of the National Council from 1979 to 1998.