Netherlands to close Harare embassy as part of global diplomatic restructuring

The announcement was made on Tuesday, 15 September, on the official X account of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Zimbabwe.

According to a more detailed statement published on the Dutch government’s website, the embassies in Tripoli (Libya), Bujumbura (Burundi) and Yangon (Myanmar), along with the consulate-general in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), will close as previously announced, in addition to the embassy in Harare.

The Dutch government said its interests in these countries would in future be represented by embassies in neighbouring states.

In its post announcing the Harare closure, the Dutch mission acknowledged the impact of the decision locally.

“We recognise that this is significant news for our partners and friends in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, given the many strong relationships we have built over the years,” it said.

The mission, which covers all three countries from Harare, added that the decision formed part of a broader restructuring and “does not change our appreciation for the close ties or our commitment to working with the respective governments and other partners across the region.”

It said it remained focused on “ensuring a careful transition towards closure and continued cooperation.”

The closures form part of a wider rebalancing of the Dutch diplomatic network. The government said it was allocating €35 million towards strengthening its network of embassies and consulates — effectively halving an earlier planned reduction of €70 million to the network’s budget.

It said that the additional funding will be used to open new embassies and invest in existing missions.

As part of this expansion, the government said it would explore the possibility of eventually opening embassies in Podgorica, Montenegro, and Windhoek, Namibia, in collaboration with Belgium and Luxembourg.

Elsewhere, in view of Dutch interests relating to migration, security and stability, diplomatic presence in Damascus will be intensified, while the planned closure of the embassy in Juba, South Sudan, has been reversed in light of the ongoing humanitarian situation there.