Belgium to close 8 diplomatic missions in major overhaul
Belgium is restructuring its diplomatic network, closing eight missions globally while opening five new ones and strengthening around 20 existing posts, in a bid to make its foreign representation “broader, more resilient and future-oriented,” Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced Friday.
The closures will affect missions in Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Conakry (Guinea), Bamako (Mali), Maputo (Mozambique), Havana (Cuba), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Guangzhou (China), and Kuwait City (Kuwait). Prevot emphasized that diplomatic relations with these countries will continue through regional embassies or special envoys, and consular services for Belgian citizens will remain accessible.
Meanwhile, Belgium will open new embassies in Tirana (Albania), Windhoek (Namibia), Muscat (Oman), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan), as well as appoint a permanent representative to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. An ambassador for Syria will also be appointed, residing in Beirut, Lebanon. The savings generated from closures will be reinvested to strengthen understaffed missions and create a pool of “flying diplomats” for rapid deployment during crises or temporary staff shortages.
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