Norway to close Embassy in Colombo

 

The Government of Norway has decided to make structural changes in its network of diplomatic missions abroad and hence has decided to permanently close the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo by end of July 2023. 

“I am sad to share news of the closure of our Embassy in Colombo in July 2023 due to structural changes in the Norwegian Foreign Service,” Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Trine Jøranli Eskedal said. In 2023, the Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to increase the number of staff at several missions abroad, especially missions in Europe. 

Closures such as these affect the lives of posted Norwegian diplomats and have even greater consequences for the locally employed staff. Norway’s diplomatic relations with Kosovo, Madagascar, Slovakia and Sri Lanka will be dealt with through alternative arrangements, for example responsibility for this will be given to a Norwegian embassy close by, or an ambassador based in Norway will be appointed for the country concerned.

The planned changes will mean that Norway has fewer missions abroad but retains approximately the same number of posted diplomatic staff.