EU Names Former German Ambassador Andreas Peschke as New Kenya Envoy
Andreas Peschke is set to return to Nairobi in a major diplomatic appointment after being nominated as the European Union’s next Ambassador to Kenya.
The veteran German diplomat announced the development on X on Friday, August 14, describing the nomination as an honour and expressing his anticipation of returning to Kenya.
“Good morning, and happy to share that I was nominated as EU Ambassador to Kenya. Feeling very honoured and looking forward to take up duty soon,” Peschke said.
The nomination was also confirmed by the European External Action Service (EEAS), which listed Peschke among the EU’s new ambassadorial nominees. The EU said he is currently Germany’s Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini and previously served as Director-General for European and EU Member States affairs at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
Peschke is expected to succeed Henriette Geiger, who has led the EU Delegation in Nairobi since 2021. His appointment is expected to bring a familiar face back to Kenya, where he previously served as Germany’s ambassador between 2013 and 2015.
Peschke’s Kenya connection
The diplomat is no stranger to Nairobi.
During his previous posting, Peschke served as Germany’s Ambassador to Kenya from 2013 to 2015, giving him first-hand experience of the country’s political, economic and diplomatic environment. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office confirms that he held the Nairobi position before moving back to Berlin as Special Envoy for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
His earlier career included assignments at German diplomatic missions in Nigeria and Russia, as well as senior positions at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.
Peschke joined Germany’s Foreign Office in 1996. He later served as deputy spokesperson and, between 2009 and 2013, as spokesperson for the German Foreign Office before being appointed ambassador to Kenya.
He subsequently became Germany’s Special Envoy for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia before serving as Director-General for European Affairs from 2018 to 2021.
Since September 2021, he has been Germany’s Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini.
A return to Nairobi at a crucial moment
Peschke’s return comes at a significant point in EU-Kenya relations, with the two sides seeking to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, climate policy, governance and security.
The new envoy is also expected to play a role in advancing implementation of the Kenya-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and strengthening the wider strategic relationship between Nairobi and Brussels.
His previous experience in Kenya could prove particularly valuable as the EU seeks to navigate the country’s evolving political and economic landscape.
Peschke’s appointment also comes as Kenya continues to position itself as a key diplomatic and economic partner for Europe in East Africa.
The nomination still requires completion of the relevant appointment process before Peschke formally assumes his new role. He is expected to take up the Nairobi posting later in 2026.
For Peschke, however, the appointment represents more than a new diplomatic assignment. It marks a return to a country where he previously spent two years as Germany’s ambassador — this time representing the European Union.
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