The Kenyan Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, is set for permanent closure as part of a rationalisation plan, Kenyans.co.ke has established.
In a notice dated Monday, November 9, the embassy said it plans to close its consular section effective November 30, as the mission prepares to permanently wind down its operations.
“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 planned closure on Tuesday, November 10, saying it is part of a broader effort to streamline Kenya’s diplomatic footprint globally.
“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.
About 8,000 to 12,000 Kenyans live in Switzerland and depend on the Embassy for services such as passport renewals and other essential documents.
In her notice, Ambassador Abass asked Kenyans who had applied for crucial documents to collect them from the embassy before November 30. Those who applied for consular services after November 1 will, however, be contacted later with instructions on how to collect their processed documents.
According to the Ambassador, the government will communicate where Kenyans in Switzerland will seek services.
Kenya has maintained a Permanent Mission in Geneva since 1995, focusing on multilateral engagement with United Nations agencies and other international organisations rather than bilateral relations with the Swiss government.
The embassy in Bern handled bilateral diplomatic relations with Switzerland, which was established following a 2018 agreement between the two countries. It was formally established as Kenya’s resident embassy on April 2, 2020, when Ambassador Andrew Kihurani presented his credentials as the country’s first ambassador to Switzerland based in Bern.
The embassy chancery was officially commissioned by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 20, 2022, although operations had begun earlier, around October 2020.
Kenya still retains embassies in Brussels (Belgium), Paris (France) and Berlin (Germany), which are relatively close to Switzerland.
The closure is expected to raise concerns among Kenyans living in Switzerland, particularly regarding access to consular services such as passport renewals, emergency travel documents and other essential paperwork. With the embassy in Bern winding down, affected nationals will have to rely on alternative arrangements, which the government has promised to communicate in due course.
The move reflects a wider push by the government to reassess its diplomatic presence worldwide, balancing costs against strategic priorities. While the closure of the Bern mission signals a shift in Kenya’s diplomatic focus in Europe, it remains to be seen how the government will ensure that services to the thousands of Kenyans in Switzerland are not disrupted.
