The Danish Embassy in Nairobi invites applications for internship positions offered across its Kenya and Somalia portfolios. The Embassy in Nairobi represents Denmark’s interests in Kenya and hosts the Representative Office to Somalia, making it a central platform for Denmark’s diplomatic, political, development, and humanitarian engagement in the region. The internship programme is designed to provide students with structured exposure to diplomacy, international development cooperation, political analysis, and public administration within a professional and international working environment.
Interns at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi work closely with diplomats, advisors, and locally engaged staff across multiple departments. The programme emphasizes practical learning through day-to-day participation in the Embassy’s core activities. Interns are assigned to specific departments or cross-cutting functions, where they support ongoing initiatives, contribute to analytical and administrative work, and participate in internal and external engagements with national, regional, and international partners.
The internship involves a wide range of tasks, including analysis and reporting, participation in meetings, planning and execution of events, support to development cooperation programmes, assistance with political and economic reporting, and communication tasks. Interns are expected to work independently on assigned responsibilities while collaborating across teams and departments. Through this experience, interns gain insight into Denmark’s engagement in Kenya, Somalia, and the wider region, as well as into the functioning of a diplomatic mission.
Internship Structure and Distribution
Internship positions at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi are distributed across thematic and geographic areas covering both Kenya and Somalia, as well as cross-cutting functions that support the overall operations of the mission. Each internship position is linked to a specific reference number and thematic focus.
The available internship areas are organized as follows:
Kenya-based internships:
Climate Diplomacy
Regional, Refugee and Humanitarian Affairs
Governance and Health
Economic Diplomacy
Somalia-focused internships:
Development and Resilience
Politics and Stabilisation
Cross-cutting internships:
Public Diplomacy and Communications
Management and Administration
Each intern is integrated into a department or team and assigned a supervisor who provides guidance, feedback, and oversight throughout the internship period. While tasks vary depending on the department, all internships are structured to ensure meaningful learning and professional development.
Detailed Internship Positions and Job Descriptions
KENYA: Climate Diplomacy Intern – Ref. No. POL-1
The Climate Diplomacy internship focuses on Denmark’s engagement in climate policy, environmental governance, and green transition initiatives in Kenya and the region. Interns in this position support the Embassy’s work on climate-related diplomacy and cooperation with government institutions, international organizations, civil society, and development partners.
Key responsibilities include contributing to policy analysis and background notes on climate and environmental issues relevant to Kenya and regional frameworks. The intern assists with monitoring climate policy developments, international negotiations, and national climate strategies. Tasks may involve drafting internal briefings, supporting reporting to headquarters, and assisting in the preparation of meetings, workshops, and conferences related to climate action.
The intern also supports coordination with partners involved in climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, and green growth initiatives. Additional responsibilities include event planning support, stakeholder mapping, and assisting in communication efforts related to climate diplomacy activities. The role requires attention to detail, structured analytical work, and the ability to manage multiple tasks within a dynamic policy environment.
KENYA: Regional, Refugee and Humanitarian Affairs Intern – Ref. No. POL-2
This internship position supports the Embassy’s engagement on regional cooperation, refugee policy, and humanitarian affairs, with a focus on Kenya’s role in hosting refugees and participating in regional stability initiatives. The intern contributes to Denmark’s humanitarian and refugee-related diplomacy and development cooperation.
Core tasks include assisting with analysis of humanitarian trends, refugee policy developments, and regional political dynamics affecting displacement and humanitarian response. The intern supports reporting on humanitarian operations, donor coordination, and policy discussions involving government agencies, UN organizations, and non-governmental actors.
The position also involves participation in coordination meetings, preparation of summaries and briefing notes, and support to the planning and follow-up of field visits and events. The intern may assist with data collection, monitoring of humanitarian programmes, and internal coordination across Embassy teams working on related portfolios. The role requires strong organizational skills and the ability to synthesize complex information into clear written outputs.
KENYA: Governance and Health Intern – Ref. No. POL-3
The Governance and Health internship supports Denmark’s cooperation with Kenya in the areas of democratic governance, public sector reform, health systems strengthening, and social development. The intern works closely with advisors managing development cooperation programmes and policy dialogue with Kenyan institutions and partners.
Responsibilities include contributing to analysis and reporting on governance and health sector developments, assisting with programme monitoring and documentation, and supporting coordination with implementing partners and stakeholders. The intern may help prepare meeting materials, draft reports, and compile background information on reforms, policy initiatives, and sector performance.
The position also involves administrative and coordination tasks related to development cooperation activities, including assistance with event organization, documentation, and internal follow-up. The intern gains exposure to development programming processes and policy dialogue mechanisms within a diplomatic mission context.
KENYA: Economic Diplomacy Intern – Ref. No. TC-1
The Economic Diplomacy internship focuses on Denmark’s economic engagement in Kenya, including trade promotion, investment facilitation, private sector cooperation, and support to Danish companies operating in the region. The intern supports the Embassy’s economic and commercial activities.
Key tasks include market analysis, sector research, and preparation of background materials on economic trends, business opportunities, and regulatory developments in Kenya. The intern assists in organizing trade-related events, business delegations, and meetings with public and private sector stakeholders.
Additional responsibilities may include contributing to reporting on economic developments, supporting communication with Danish and local partners, and assisting with coordination across economic diplomacy initiatives. The role provides insight into the intersection of diplomacy, trade, and private sector engagement.
SOMALIA: Development and Resilience Intern – Ref. No. POL-4
The Development and Resilience internship supports Denmark’s engagement in Somalia’s development and resilience agenda. The intern contributes to work related to development cooperation, humanitarian-development-peace nexus programming, and resilience-building initiatives.
Tasks include assisting with analysis and reporting on development trends, programme implementation, and policy frameworks relevant to Somalia. The intern supports monitoring of development projects, coordination with implementing partners, and preparation of internal documentation and briefing materials.
The role also involves participation in meetings and coordination forums, as well as assistance with planning and follow-up of activities related to resilience, livelihoods, and institutional capacity-building. The intern gains exposure to development cooperation in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
SOMALIA: Politics and Stabilisation Intern – Ref. No. POL-5
This internship position focuses on political analysis and stabilisation efforts related to Somalia. The intern supports the Embassy’s political reporting, analysis of security and governance developments, and engagement with international and regional partners.
Responsibilities include monitoring political developments, preparing analytical notes and reports, and assisting with coordination on stabilisation initiatives. The intern may support preparations for meetings, contribute to background research, and assist with documentation related to political dialogue and peacebuilding efforts.
The position requires structured analytical work, attention to evolving political dynamics, and the ability to present information clearly and concisely. The intern gains insight into political processes and international engagement in Somalia.
CROSS-CUTTING: Public Diplomacy and Communications Intern – Ref. No. PD-1
The Public Diplomacy and Communications internship supports the Embassy’s external communication, public outreach, and strategic communication efforts. The intern works across departments to assist with communication initiatives that promote Denmark’s policies, values, and engagement in the region.
Tasks include supporting content creation for digital platforms, assisting with media monitoring, and contributing to the planning and execution of public diplomacy events. The intern may help draft communication materials, coordinate with internal teams, and support outreach activities targeting diverse audiences.
The role also involves administrative support related to communication activities and collaboration with partners and stakeholders. The intern gains experience in public diplomacy within a diplomatic mission setting.
CROSS-CUTTING: Management and Administration Intern – Ref. No. POL-6
The Management and Administration internship supports the internal operations of the Embassy, including administrative processes, coordination, and organizational support functions. The intern works with management and administrative staff to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.
Responsibilities include assisting with administrative tasks, documentation, internal coordination, and support to management processes. The intern may help prepare internal materials, support event logistics, and contribute to organizational planning activities.
This position provides insight into the operational side of a diplomatic mission and the administrative frameworks that support diplomatic and development work.
Internship Timing and Duration
Each internship lasts six months and is offered during one of the following periods:
February 1 to July 31, with an application deadline of September 10 in the previous year.
August 1 to January 31, with an application deadline of March 10.
Internships are offered on a rolling basis aligned with these intake periods.
Internship Conditions and Practical Information
The internship programme is unpaid. However, interns receive a monthly compensation of DKK 5,000 to cover documented expenses related to accommodation, transport, insurance, and other internship-related costs. Interns may also have the opportunity to retain their SU, subject to clarification with the Danish Agency for Higher Education.
Interns are required to work an average of 37 hours per week, including lunch breaks. Vacation accrual is 2.08 days per month, amounting to 12.5 days over the six-month internship period. Additional time off may be granted for academic writing requirements related to the internship, subject to approval and defined limits.
For security reasons, interns must reside in accommodation provided by the Embassy. Interns are responsible for obtaining insurance that covers repatriation in case of illness or death, as well as liability outside working hours.
Application Process
Applications for internships at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi and the Representative Office to Somalia are submitted through an electronic application form. Applicants must indicate their priority internship positions by selecting the relevant reference numbers listed for each position.
The next application round for internships in the spring semester 2026 opens in August, with an application deadline of September 10. Applicants are required to submit a CV, a motivated application letter, and documentation of academic records. Additional relevant documents may be included if deemed necessary by the applicant.
Applicants are advised to ensure that their application materials clearly reflect their interest in the specific internship position and align with the thematic focus of the selected reference number.
For inquiries related to the internship programme at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi, applicants may contact the Embassy via the official email address provided in the internship announcement.
