Situation in Sudan: Swiss Embassy in Khartoum closed

Since 17 April 2023, the security situation in Sudan has deteriorated considerably. For security reasons, the Swiss embassy has been closed since Sunday, 23 April 2023, and embassy staff and their families have been evacuated. The FDFA has set up an interdepartmental crisis cell to deal with the situation.

In the north-east African country, the security situation has deteriorated considerably since 17 April, with fighting in the capital Khartoum. The conflict is between the Sudanese national army and the troops of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has called on the parties to the conflict to stop fighting immediately and to engage in dialogue.

The safety of Swiss nationals and embassy staff is the FDFA's top priority. For this reason, the Swiss embassy in Khartoum has been closed since Sunday 23 April 2023 and the staff has been evacuated. According to Nicolas Bideau, head of communications at the FDFA, the evacuation has come about thanks to the collaboration of other countries and France in particular, for which the head of communications expresses his gratitude.

Around 100 people with Swiss nationality are currently registered at the Swiss embassy, plus a handful of people who have registered with the FDFA's travel application. The FDFA informs and supports the persons concerned as far as possible. It has also created an interdepartmental crisis cell to deal with the situation. In view of the precarious security situation, however, a comprehensive evacuation of Swiss nationals remains a major challenge.

The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, SwissCommunity, encourages everyone to share information and help the affected population, regardless of whether they are Swiss nationals.