Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Dutch cabinet has announced plans to shut down its embassy in South Sudan as part of a broader budget reduction policy and reshape its global diplomatic presence.
Opened shortly after South Sudan’s independence in 2011, the Dutch embassy has played a vital role in supporting development, peacebuilding, and good governance.
South Sudan is one of seven confirmed locations where Dutch diplomatic missions will close. Others include embassies in Cuba, Libya, and Myanmar, and consulates-general in Antwerp (Belgium) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
The closures were confirmed in a letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to parliament on April 17. The move is part of a 10% budget cut across the Dutch diplomatic service—about €70 million in total savings.
The government described the decision as a response to an increasingly unstable global environment, saying it wants a more “realistic foreign policy” focused on national security, trade, and migration. While acknowledging the closures are difficult, the Foreign Ministry called them “necessary.”
The Netherlands has been one of South Sudan’s major development partners, supporting projects in water and food security and governance.
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