Kenya’s embassy in Bern will end consular services on November 30 ahead of permanent closure.
Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’Oei says Kenya will close its embassy in Bern as the government reshapes its diplomatic network.
Kenya has confirmed the Bern embassy closure as part of a broader plan to streamline its diplomatic network. The mission will stop consular services on November 30 as it prepares to permanently end operations.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed the decision on Tuesday, November 10. He said the government’s review involves closing some missions and opening others to advance Kenya’s strategic priorities.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Fouzia Abass announced the shutdown in a notice dated Monday, November 9. She said the embassy would close permanently following a directive from the Kenyan government.
Bern embassy closure: Document collection deadline
Abass asked Kenyans who had applied for essential documents to collect them from the embassy before November 30. The deadline comes as the mission prepares to wind down its consular section.
However, applicants who sought consular services after November 1 will receive separate instructions later. The embassy will contact them with guidance on collecting their processed documents.
About 8,000 to 12,000 Kenyans live in Switzerland and rely on the embassy for passport renewals and other essential documents. Abass also said the government would communicate where Kenyans in Switzerland should seek services following the closure.
The notice therefore gives applicants two collection arrangements, depending on when they requested services. Those with earlier applications should collect their documents before the deadline, while later applicants should await contact.
Bern embassy and Geneva mission have different roles
Kenya has maintained a Permanent Mission in Geneva since 1995. That mission focuses on engagement with United Nations agencies and other international organisations, rather than bilateral relations with Switzerland.
The Bern embassy, by contrast, handled Kenya’s bilateral diplomatic relations with the Swiss government. Its establishment followed a 2018 agreement between the two countries.
Kenya formally established the resident embassy on April 2, 2020. On that date, Andrew Kihurani presented his credentials as Kenya’s first ambassador to Switzerland based in Bern.
Operations began around October 2020, while former President Uhuru Kenyatta officially commissioned the chancery on May 20, 2022. Kenya also retains embassies in Brussels, Paris and Berlin, which are relatively close to Switzerland.
