Kenya is preparing to permanently close its embassy in Bern, Switzerland, as the government moves to reorganise its diplomatic missions around the world.
In a notice issued on Monday, November 9, the embassy announced that its consular department would stop operating from November 30 ahead of the complete shutdown.
“The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Bern wishes to inform all Kenyan Nationals, clients and members of the public that, following a directive of the Government of the Republic of Kenya, the Embassy will permanently close its operations in Switzerland,” Kenya’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Fouzia Abass, said.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed the decision on Tuesday, November 10, explaining that the move was part of a wider government plan to review Kenya’s diplomatic presence internationally.
“This is part of ongoing rationalisation of Kenya’s diplomatic footprint globally, involving closing some Missions and opening new ones in furtherance of our strategic priorities as a country,” Sing’Oei stated.
The closure will affect thousands of Kenyans living in Switzerland, with estimates placing their population between 8,000 and 12,000. Many rely on the embassy for essential consular assistance, including passport renewals and the processing of official documents. In her announcement, Ambassador Abass urged Kenyans with pending applications to collect their documents before November 30.
Those who submitted applications for consular services after November 1 will be contacted and informed about alternative arrangements for collecting their processed documents. The government is expected to announce where Kenyans residing in Switzerland will access diplomatic and consular services following the closure.
Kenya has maintained a Permanent Mission in Geneva since 1995, primarily handling relations with United Nations agencies and other international organisations. However, the Bern embassy was responsible for managing Kenya’s direct diplomatic relations with the Swiss government.
Its establishment followed a 2018 agreement between Kenya and Switzerland. The mission officially became Kenya’s resident embassy on April 2, 2020, when Ambassador Andrew Kihurani presented his credentials as the country’s first ambassador based in Bern.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta formally commissioned the embassy’s chancery on May 20, 2022, although operations had started around October 2020. Despite the planned closure, Kenya will retain its diplomatic missions in several European countries near Switzerland, including Belgium, France and Germany, with embassies in Brussels, Paris and Berlin respectively.