Denmark to Close Embassy in Iraq Again

The Danish government has decided to close its embassy in Baghdad by the end of May, as announced by the Foreign Ministry and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. The closure is attributed to the end of Denmark’s leadership of NATO’s mission in Iraq and a reduction in the number of Danish troops and civilians in the country. This is not the first time for the embassy closure; it happened in 2012 when the Danish bilateral engagement was winding down but reopened in 2021 when Denmark was set to lead NATO’s training mission. Denmark finished its leadership in May 2022 and has continued to contribute to the mission but will now only maintain a smaller number of military and civilian advisors. With most Danish contributions repatriated, the embassy’s central mission is now complete. The current ambassador to Iraq, Christian Thorning, will later become ambassador to Hungary. Denmark also maintains an honorary consulate in Erbil, Iraq.