Kenya is preparing to withdraw its diplomatic presence from Switzerland, with the government planning to permanently shut down its embassy in Bern from the end of November 2026.
The closure is part of a wider government plan to reorganise Kenya’s diplomatic missions abroad and redirect resources towards what it considers strategic international priorities.
In a notice dated Monday, November 9, the Kenyan Embassy in Bern announced that its consular section would stop operating on November 30 ahead of the permanent closure of the mission.
Kenya’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Fouzia Abass, informed Kenyan nationals, clients and members of the public that the decision had been made following a directive from the government.
“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,” Abass stated.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed the planned shutdown on Tuesday, November 10, explaining that the move was part of an ongoing review of Kenya’s diplomatic presence across the world.
He said the government was considering closing some diplomatic missions while establishing new ones in locations considered important to the country’s strategic interests.
“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 decision is expected to affect thousands of Kenyans living in Switzerland who have relied on the Bern embassy for consular assistance and other essential government services.
Estimates indicate that between 8,000 and 12,000 Kenyans reside in Switzerland. The embassy has been an important point of contact for those seeking passport renewals, travel documents and other official services.
In her notice, Ambassador Abass urged Kenyans who had already applied for important documents to collect them from the embassy before November 30.
Those who submitted applications for consular services after November 1 will be contacted separately and provided with instructions on how to collect their processed documents.
The ambassador added that the government would communicate alternative arrangements to ensure Kenyans in Switzerland know where to access consular services following the closure.
The planned shutdown comes despite Kenya having maintained a diplomatic mission in Bern for several years.
Kenya’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, established in 1995, has traditionally handled the country’s engagement with United Nations agencies and other international organisations. Its responsibilities are largely focused on multilateral diplomacy rather than direct bilateral relations with the Swiss government.
The Bern embassy was established to strengthen Kenya’s direct diplomatic relations with Switzerland following an agreement between the two countries in 2018.
It formally 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.
Although operations had started around October 2020, the embassy’s chancery was officially commissioned by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 20, 2022.
Following the planned closure, Kenya will continue to maintain diplomatic missions in other European countries, including Belgium, France and Germany, through its embassies in Brussels, Paris and Berlin.
