Switzerland sees PH as bridge in AI, trade, innovation
By Monsi A. Serrano
Switzerland sees the Philippines playing an important role in connecting ASEAN, the global economy and a rapidly changing world of technology, with Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda pointing to artificial intelligence, innovation, academia, and rules-based trade as areas where the two countries can deepen cooperation.
Speaking to Filipino journalists in Manila, Secretary Budliger Artieda said the Philippines has strong human capital and an important position in the region, but needs to continue improving its interconnectivity and access to opportunities in the ASEAN and global markets.
“You are on a good path, but you can do better,” she said.
For the Swiss official, one of the major changes confronting ASEAN and its economies is the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
“I think it’s interconnectivity, I think it’s dealing with new topics such as AI, which is a big, big issue,” she said.
“We’re still digitalization, digitalization of economy is still a topic, but now we already have the next massive technology revolution coming our way.”
Connecting AI through academia
Budliger Artieda said Switzerland’s approach to innovation could provide an avenue for cooperation with the Philippines, particularly through universities, research institutions and the private sector.
Switzerland, she explained, is highly decentralized and does not operate through a single top-down innovation strategy.
Instead, she pointed to its universities and technical institutions as important drivers of technological development.
“If the Philippines is interested to collaborate with Switzerland on the AI, we have to connect at the proper level,” she said. “And that would be university. That would be really the academy.”
The State Secretary cited Switzerland’s technical universities and their long history in areas such as information technology, big data, robotics, and automation, which she said helped position the country at the forefront of AI.
But she stressed that innovation is not only about fundamental research.
“It’s great if you create a large language model, but then if it never gets into market, you really need to have the capacity to go from lab into the market,” she said.
For the Philippines, she said, cooperation could therefore take place directly between academic institutions and private companies, with the Swiss Embassy able to help facilitate connections.
Bringing business into the ASEAN dialogue
The same approach, Budliger Artieda said, could strengthen Switzerland’s engagement with ASEAN.
Switzerland already maintains a sectoral dialogue with ASEAN and has also started an EFTA-ASEAN dialogue. But she said there is room to bring Swiss businesses more directly into those discussions.
“We firmly believe as government that we’re strongest when we show up as Team Switzerland,” she said.
“And Team Switzerland is the government, private sector, and civil society.”
The idea, she explained, is to bring the Swiss private sector more actively into ASEAN engagements, building on a format Switzerland had already tested during the COVID period.
For Budliger Artieda, the objective ultimately comes down to jobs and business.
“In order for our population to succeed, they need jobs. And in order to create jobs, businesses need business,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
A Philippine voice in global trade
Switzerland, which hosts the World Trade Organization in Geneva, also sees a role for the Philippines in efforts to preserve an open and rules-based global trading system.
Budliger Artieda acknowledged that the WTO is going through what she described as a “fundamental crisis” and said the organization needs to be reformed.
For Switzerland, she said, restoring a functioning appellate body remains a priority because rules need a mechanism to address situations when countries do not follow them.
She also sees a particular role for countries such as the Philippines because of their position between different parts of the global economy.
“The Philippines, being at the crossroad, I think, between the global north and the global south, it’s actually absolutely crucial that you speak out,” she said.
Budliger Artieda said countries in such positions can help bridge different realities by supporting less-favored countries while also engaging with countries that may have different views.
“Who will connect the tissue between these different realities?” she asked.
“It’s countries such as the Philippines, in my view.”
For Switzerland, the future of its economic relationship with the Philippines therefore goes beyond trade figures and individual investments. It includes stronger connections among businesses, universities, governments and societies as both countries navigate technological change and a more fragmented global trading environment.
As the Philippines continues to strengthen its role in ASEAN, Budliger Artieda sees opportunities for the two countries to build on their complementary strengths: Swiss expertise in innovation, research, and precision, and the Philippines human capital and position in Asia.
The goal, she said, is ultimately a relationship that creates tangible opportunities for people in both countries.
“We’ve been actually around for seven decades and let’s build on this friendship and make sure that there is a better future for the people of the Philippines and the people of Switzerland,” she said.
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