The Norwegian Foreign Service and the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala have closed shop, citing “ongoing structural reforms”.
According to a statement from the embassy, the closure shall be finalized in July next year.
“Norway is currently undertaking structural reforms of the foreign service. As part of the reform process, changes are being made in the diplomatic presence abroad. Concentrating and consolidating is expected to better serve Norwegian national interests, and to increase the effectiveness of Norway’s international engagement,” the statement reads in part.
“This means that Norway is scaling up its presence in some locations. The consequence is that painful drawdowns must be made in other places,” the statement continues.
Already five (5) Norwegian missions were closed this year in July, and Kampala will be next on the list. The embassy states that the development is based solely on overall administrative assessments related to the need for reallocation of the foreign service's resources.
“Uganda is a long-standing partner to Norway, and the excellent bilateral relations are highly valued. Norway wishes to maintain the strong ties that exist between the two countries,” the statement maintains.
The Norwegian Embassy in Kampala represents Norway in Rwanda and Burundi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on solutions to safeguard Norway’s diplomatic representation in these countries.