Denmark to close Embassy in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Denmark has announced that it will be closing it embassy in Tanzania in what the foreign ministry has said is part of a reorganisation.

Apart from the Tanzanian mission they also intend to  close the Consulate General in Chongqing (China) and the trade mission in Barcelona (Spain).

According to a statement signed by Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeppe Kofod the aim is to restructure their foreign service in order to be able to deliver on the government’s priorities.

Koffod said the restructuring means, among other things, that more of their missions will be bolstered, for example with regard to Denmark’s work in the EU, NATO, the UN, the Arctic, Africa, as well as with regard to their export initiatives.

“In all, 16 missions and 9 departments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ headquarters in Copenhagen will be strengthened,” says Koffod in a statement.

He said his priority as Minister of Foreign Affairs is to ensure the security and safety of the Danish people in a world where democracy, human rights, and their values are coming under increasing pressure.

The statement further states that the reorganization is to help Denamrk target the efforts they make inside and outside the country so to make the biggest possible difference.

Koffod also touched on the developments in Afghanistan saying the events there call for a reflection.

“The grave development in Afghanistan the last couple of weeks calls for reflection, and we need time to digest and analyse this in cooperation with the Danish Parliament,” reads the statement.

He said following that process, the government will at a later stage present a new foreign and security policy strategy.

Koffod said prior to the reorganisation of the Foreign Service, the most comprehensive analysis of the work and the structure of the Danish foreign service since the Foreign Commission in 1989/90 at the end of the Cold War was carried out.
“The reorganisation will contribute to the implementation of Denmark’s new strategy for development cooperation. "The world we share.”