The key facts

  • The Dutch Embassy in Cairo is closed to the public until further notice by decision of the Dutch Foreign Ministry
  • The protests are linked to the detention in the Netherlands of Ahmed Nasser, deputy head of the unofficial Union of Egyptian Youth Abroad
  • On October 13, the foreign ministers of Egypt and the Netherlands discussed the protection of embassies and the detention of the citizen

Embassy Closure

The Netherlands has temporarily closed its embassy building in Cairo to visitors amid demonstrations held outside its walls. As the embassy itself announced on Thursday on its official Facebook page, the decision to close as a precautionary measure was taken by the Dutch Foreign Ministry, and it remains in effect until further notice. People with scheduled appointments have been notified or will soon be notified of the rescheduling. The embassy stressed that the temporary closure does not affect the services of the VFS Global company in Cairo, and recommended that those in need of urgent consular assistance contact the emergency hotline.

Protests and the Detention of an Egyptian Citizen

The decision followed a demonstration outside the Dutch Embassy in Cairo last week, when, according to the Egyptian TV channel Al-Qahera News, dozens of Egyptians demanded the release of Ahmed Nasser — deputy head of the unofficial Union of Egyptian Youth Abroad, who was detained in the Netherlands.

Diplomatic Contacts

On October 13, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on his Dutch counterpart Tom Berendsen to ensure proper protection of the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the principle of reciprocity. According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the ministers agreed to resolve accumulated issues while maintaining friendly bilateral relations. The talks took place after videos circulated on social media showing an Egyptian holding posters criticizing the Egyptian authorities in the presence of Dutch police officers. During the call, Abdelatty also requested clarification regarding the detention of the Egyptian citizen in the Netherlands and demanded his speedy release.