Nairobi — Norway has shut down its embassy in Uganda as part of ongoing structural reforms within the Norwegian Foreign Service.
The Norwegian Embassy in Kampala, established in 1994, confirmed the closure on Friday in a brief ceremony that included the lowering of its flag to symbolize the end of its physical presence in Uganda.
"It is with mixed emotions that we lower the Norwegian flag for the last time," the Norwegian Embassy stated, emphasizing that Norway will continue to remain engaged in Kampala.
"The Embassy is now closed, but Norway remains engaged in Uganda."
Oslo announced its intention to close the embassy in Kampala on October 13, 2023.
As part of the reform process, Norway disclosed that changes are being made to its diplomatic presence abroad by scaling up in some locations and reducing in others.
The decision to close the Kampala embassy 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 Norwegian Embassy in Kampala stated at the time.
The Norwegian Embassy said future cooperation with Kampala will be managed by the Norwegian development agency, Norad, and another mission in the region, which is yet to be determined.
Additionally, Norway indicated that support through Norwegian and international NGOs, as well as the UN and other multilateral channels, will continue.
The Norwegian Embassy in Kampala also represented Norway in Rwanda and Burundi.
The closure follows Oslo's decision to close five other Norwegian missions in July 2023.
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Bruhan Makong reports on security, human rights, and global affairs. He is passionate about uncovering the truth, amplifying the voices often drowned in silence, and holding those in power to account.
