Cairo:The Netherlands has temporarily closed its embassy in Cairo to the public due to protests outside the building. This decision was announced by the embassy on Thursday, citing precautionary measures taken as instructed by the Dutch Foreign Ministry until further notice.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the embassy stated that people with scheduled appointments have been, or will soon be, notified about rescheduling. Despite the closure, services provided by VFS Global in Cairo will not be affected. The embassy also urged those in need of urgent consular assistance to reach out via its emergency hotline.

This temporary closure comes after demonstrations were held last week outside the Dutch Embassy in Cairo. The protests involved dozens of Egyptians demanding the release of Ahmed Nasser, the deputy head of the unofficial Union of Egyptian Youth Abroad, who was detained in the Netherlands. The demonstrations were reported by Egypt's Al-Qahera News television channel.

On October 13, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty communicated with Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, urging him to ensure the protection of Egypt's embassy in The Hague According to 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Both ministers agreed to address outstanding issues while upholding friendly bilateral relations. These discussions occurred following the circulation of videos on social media showing an Egyptian national protesting against Egyptian authorities in the presence of Dutch police officers. During the call, Abdelatty also sought clarification regarding the detention of the Egyptian citizen in the Netherlands and requested his prompt release.