Kampala, (UG): The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the European country will close operations at its Kampala Embassy in 2024.
Ms Anniken Huitfeldt, who heads the Ministry also revealed that the Consulate General in Guangzhou, China will as well be closed to enable the Norwegian Foreign Services department address the dire need to increase staffing at other diplomatic and consular missions.
“In a rapidly changing world, it is essential for us to have diplomats in places where they can monitor global issues that have implications for Norway and promote Norwegian positions. At the same time, we must continually assess where it is best to maintain a presence in order to safeguard Norwegian interests optimally with the resources we have,” Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said in a statement released on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
“More diplomatic staff will be posted to the Norwegian Embassies in Accra, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa and Nairobi in order to strengthen efforts in priority areas such as food security, business development and regional security in Africa. The Embassy in Beirut will also be given a new diplomatic position dedicated to working with aid to Syria,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Minister for International Development in Norway’s Government, Ms Anne Beathe Tvinnereim observed that the closure of the embassy in Uganda does not mean that aid to the country will be discontinued.
“Norway will continue to invest significantly in development cooperation with Uganda through its civil society partners and multilateral organisations. We will also maintain our engagement in promoting human rights in the country,” Ms Tvinnereim emphasized.
The Norwegian Embassy in Kampala currently serves three East African countries including Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda and the European country’s government highlights that its Foreign Affairs Ministry is now working on solutions to safeguard Norway’s diplomatic representation in these countries once the Embassy in Kampala is closed.
“We will take steps to ensure that the needs and rights of all staff members affected by the closures are adequately safeguarded.”
Norway is one of the countries that provides substantial aid to Uganda and in 2022, Uganda received about Shs132.3b earmarked for projects in key priority areas such as civil society, education, energy, refugees and women’s rights.
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