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.
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.
A foreign policy reset
