Kenya has been chosen as the location for Estonia’s first embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa, marking a significant expansion of the Northern European nation’s diplomatic footprint on the continent.
The move reflects Estonia’s growing interest in strengthening political, economic, and technological ties with Africa, with Kenya positioned as a strategic hub.
Speaking in an interview with Radio Generation, Estonian Ambassador to Kenya Daniel Schaer said the embassy demonstrates Estonia’s commitment to building relations with the country.
“We only have one embassy in Africa currently, and it’s in Egypt. We’re not a huge country, but we’ve seen the potential of Africa, and we’ve chosen Kenya to be the first location of our embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa,” he said on Thursday.
Ambassador Schaer noted that Estonia has previously maintained relations through an honorary consulate in Kenya.
“An honorary consul has been living here for over 30 years and has served as our honorary consul for 20 years,” he said, adding that this long-standing presence helped foster trust and understanding between the two nations.
The decision builds on high-level engagements, including a meeting between Kenyan President William Ruto and Estonian President Alar Karis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025.
Last December, Estonia formally announced it would open a full embassy in Nairobi next year, making it Tallinn’s second mission on the African continent.
The expansion follows a proposal by Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna to open new embassies in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Kenya, and Moldova.
“It is important for Estonia to open new embassies in order to significantly increase our visibility, strengthen security and create new opportunities for Estonian businesses,” Tsahkna said.
He added that the new posts reflect “a carefully considered selection” and framed the expansion as both strategic and defensive.
“Estonia must strengthen its reach in the world, as this is in the interests of our security and economic development. If diplomacy fails, weapons begin to speak – and that is something we do not wish to see,” Tsahkna added
Africa, Tsahkna explained, represents a clear gap for Estonia, which currently has no embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A Nairobi mission, he noted, will allow Estonia to deepen ties not only with Kenya but also with other countries it accredits from the Kenyan capital.
The embassy revives plans first floated in 2021 but shelved due to budgetary constraints.
Currently, Ambassador Schaer handles Estonia’s representation in Kenya from Brussels while also serving as ambassador-at-large for Africa.
Estonia views Kenya, East Africa’s digital and diplomatic hub, as a natural partner.
Ex-President Kersti Kaljulaid visited Nairobi in 2021, and Estonia’s tech industry already has a presence in the country, with firms such as Bolt and Skype establishing themselves in Kenya’s growing innovation ecosystem.
Schaer welcomed the announcement, calling it “a recognition of the work of Team Estonia in Africa” and one of his core objectives.
“This is a clear indication of our interest in building relations between our two countries,” he said.
