Operating as a Dutch embassy to Sudan in challenging circumstances
Operating as Wierish Ramsoekh
Chargé d’Affaires of the Netherlands to Sudan
When the war started in April 2023, most of our staff had to evacuate to the Netherlands. RSF soldiers occupied and looted our embassy building. This sudden change required our team to adjust to a new environment in the Netherlands, both mentally and practically.
I began my role as Chargé d’Affaires of the Netherlands to Sudan in August 2023. Since then, we’ve been rebuilding our team with new routines, some new staff members, and a new location in The Hague. A significant milestone came in October when five colleagues relocated to Nairobi to be closer to Sudan. Nairobi has proven to be a strategic choice, given its many multilateral organizations and INGOs with offices involved in Sudan’s humanitarian and development efforts. This move helped us adapt our development projects to the new realities in Sudan.
In a further step to stay connected to the region, I moved to Addis Ababa at the end of June. Addis Ababa has become a political hub for Sudan due to the presence of the African Union. Here, I join colleagues from Italy, France, Germany, the UK, and the US. Our bilateral Embassy of the Netherlands in Ethiopia has welcomed me warmly and provided an excellent work environment. My deputy, Wiesje Elfferich, has moved to Nairobi to work closely with our development colleagues. The Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya has also been very supportive, helping our team adjust. Meanwhile, three colleagues continue to work from our headquarters in the Netherlands.
This is our experience as an embassy in exile. Despite not being in the same building, place, or even country, we remain dedicated to serving the interests of the Netherlands and supporting the people of Sudan. Our commitment to our projects—whether in food security, humanitarian aid, displacement, private sector development, women and youth empowerment, or human rights—fosters a team spirit that transcends physical boundaries.
We will evaluate our operations at the end of 2024 and make any necessary adjustments. Challenging times demand flexibility, and pragmatism is a key Dutch trait.
We wanted to keep you, our citizens and friends of the Netherlands, informed about our current situation.
Kind regards and with sincere wishes that the dire situation of Sudanese will soon improve,
