Kenya to open embassy in Azerbaijan

Kenya will open an embassy in Baku as part of a phased optimization of its network of diplomatic missions abroad, reads a statement by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, Olaylar informs.

According to the document, the decision was made as part of a review of the countrychr("39")s diplomatic presence abroad, taking into account budget constraints and foreign policy priorities.

"Under the direction of the Cabinet, Kenya will open new missions in Baku (Azerbaijan) and Brazzaville (Congo) to strengthen its presence in Central Europe and Central Africa, respectively," the statement said.

As part of the first phase of optimization, the Kenyan government also plans to close its embassy in Bern (Switzerland).

"Bilateral relations with Switzerland will once again be handled by the Kenya High Commission in London, as was the case previously. At the same time, Kenya will maintain a diplomatic presence in Geneva, where the countrychr("39")s permanent mission will continue to engage with the United Nations and other multilateral organizations based there," the message reads.

In addition, as part of the optimization, the transfer of Kenyachr("39")s diplomatic mission in Port-au-Prince (Haiti) to Mexico City, and the mission in Havana (Cuba) to Kingston (Jamaica) has already been carried out.

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Kenya were established on May 28, 2004. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on establishing the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kenya on November 18, 2022. Sultan Hajiyev has been the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Kenya since May 23, 2023.

The Kenyan Ambassador to Iran is also concurrently accredited to Azerbaijan. The two countries cooperate on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international organizations.