Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo De La Espriella, has announced plans to close the country’s embassies in South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and Senegal as part of a sweeping overhaul of Bogotá’s diplomatic network that also includes restoring ties with Israel and opening an embassy in Jerusalem.
Espriella waves supporters after casting his vote during the 2026 presidential runoff in Colombia on June 21, 2026 in Barranquilla, Colombia [Credit: Leonardo Castañeda/Getty Images]
The measures, unveiled ahead of De La Espriella’s inauguration on 7 August, mark one of the most significant shifts in Colombia’s foreign policy in decades as the incoming administration seeks to reduce diplomatic spending while realigning the country’s international priorities.
In total, the president-elect said his government will close 14 embassies in the first phase of the restructuring, including missions in Algeria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Cuba, Czechia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Romania, Senegal and South Africa.
He also plans to shut around 15 consulates and suspend the planned opening of a diplomatic mission to Palestine.
The embassy closures come alongside De La Espriella’s pledge to restore what he described as Colombia’s “historic alliance”with Israel, reversing the diplomatic direction of outgoing President Gustavo Petro.
De La Espriella said the overhaul would cut costs, redirect savings to domestic priorities, and review Colombia’s remaining diplomatic missions within his first 100 days. [Image: Charlie Cordero/Reuters]Photograph: Charlie Cordero/Reuters
The incoming government plans to reopen diplomatic relations with Israel, move Colombia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and strengthen cooperation in trade and security.
De La Espriella said the embassy closures do not amount to severing diplomatic ties with the affected countries, except for Cuba and Nicaragua, where he has proposed ending formal diplomatic relations altogether. Colombian citizens in countries losing embassies would instead be served through concurrent diplomatic representation from neighbouring missions.
The incoming president said the restructuring is intended to make Colombia’s foreign service more efficient, with savings redirected to domestic priorities including security, healthcare, education and infrastructure. He also announced a review of Colombia’s remaining diplomatic missions during his first 100 days in office.
For Africa, the closures would reduce Colombia’s diplomatic footprint on the continent to a handful of missions, reflecting a broader reprioritisation of Bogotá’s foreign policy rather than a complete disengagement from African partners.
The move comes as several Latin American countries continue to reassess the size and geographic focus of their diplomatic networks amid fiscal pressures and changing geopolitical priorities.
