Kenya shuts down embassy in Switzerland after six years

Kenya will shut down its embassy in Switzerland on November 30 in a diplomatic shake-up that will see the government reorganise its overseas missions and redirect resources.

The closure will end Kenya's direct diplomatic representation in the European country less than seven years after the mission in Bern began operations.

In a public notice dated November 9, the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Bern announced that it would cease operations following a directive from the government in Nairobi.

The decision will affect consular services for Kenyans living in Switzerland, with the embassy urging citizens and other clients to complete pending applications before the closure date.

Those whose processed documents are ready have been asked to collect them by November 30. Applicants who submitted requests from November 1 will be contacted and informed about alternative collection arrangements.

The embassy has also advised applicants collecting documents to present valid identification alongside their application receipts.

It said details of alternative arrangements for accessing consular services would be communicated through its website and other official channels.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei said the closure was part of a wider government strategy to rationalise Kenya's diplomatic presence globally, involving the closure of some missions and the establishment of new ones.

“This is part of ongoing rationalization of Kenya’s diplomatic footprint globally, involving closing some Missions and opening new ones in the furtherance of our strategic priorities as a country,” Sing'Oei said.

He assured Kenyans living abroad that the restructuring would not cut them off from essential government services, despite the planned closure of some missions.

“Kenyans will continue to receive proximate services despite this rationalization process,” he said, adding that the government would issue a comprehensive statement explaining the changes.

However, the government has yet to disclose which diplomatic mission will assume responsibility for serving Kenyans in Switzerland or how the alternative consular arrangements will work.

Kenya established and officially opened its embassy in Bern on April 2, 2020, making its planned closure a major change in the country's diplomatic representation in Switzerland barely six years after the mission was set up.

The move comes as Nairobi seeks to expand its diplomatic presence in emerging economic and strategic centres while reviewing the cost and effectiveness of maintaining existing overseas missions.

In recent years, Kenya has opened an embassy in Rabat, Morocco, to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation with North Africa.

The government has also approved plans to establish additional diplomatic missions in Vatican City, Copenhagen in Denmark and Hanoi in Vietnam.

The proposed missions are expected to strengthen Kenya's engagement with the Holy See, expand cooperation in sustainable development and climate action and create opportunities for trade and investment in Asia.

In August 2026, Kenya also inaugurated a Consulate General in Guangzhou, China, to strengthen commercial relations with southern China, particularly in trade, manufacturing and technology.

The expansion of Kenya's diplomatic presence in these locations, alongside the planned closure of the Bern mission, reflects the government's efforts to redirect diplomatic resources towards emerging economic opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Kenya and Switzerland have maintained bilateral relations for decades, with Switzerland establishing an official presence in Kenya following the country's independence in 1963.

The two countries also maintain commercial ties, with Switzerland importing agricultural products from Kenya while exporting pharmaceutical and chemical products to the East African nation.