The German Embassy has been thrust into mourning on Friday (December 17) as newly appointed Ambassador to Jamaica, Dr Stefan Friedrich Keil, died suddenly in Kingston. He was 63-years-old.

The embassy, in a terse website statement, stated that, “The sudden death of the ambassador fills the staff of the Federal Foreign Office with deep sadness.”

Details are scarce, however, Our Today has been informed that Dr Keil showed up for work on Thursday and fell ill at the Upper Waterloo Road-based embassy in St Andrew. 

The unresponsive ambassador was transported by police personnel to the nearby Andrews Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead at arrival. 

Dr Keil, a native of Bavaria, was appointed Consul General to Jamaica earlier in August. Over the next few weeks, the German lawyer-turned-diplomat presented his credentials to Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen. 

He also paid courtesy calls to the Kingston-based International Seabed Authority and made an official visit to the Honorary Consul in The Bahamas. 

Keil was instrumental in organising Germany’s donation of 108,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, which the European nation gifted to Jamaica in mid-October.

In his first official address to the Jamaican public since his appointment, Keil said he hoped to deepen the nearly 60-year friendship between Jamaica and Germany. 

See his welcome in full below: 

“Dear readers,

As the new German Ambassador to Jamaica I cordially welcome you.

Since August 2021 I have the privilege to hold office and represent the Federal Republic of Germany in the beautiful country of Jamaica.

Since the beginning of diplomatic relations about 60 years ago, the rapport between Jamaica and Germany has always been based on partnership and mutual respect. Both our countries work closely together in many areas like culture, sports, economics, tourism, health, science and climate protection as well as in multilateral forums like the United Nations. 

With the support of the entire team of the German Embassy I am looking forward to further deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations.

I would be very glad to hear from you.

With best wishes,

Stefan Keil”

Before coming to Jamaica, Dr Keil worked in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for nearly 32 years—starting in Berlin in 1989.

Between 1991 and 1993, the statesman was a representative at the German Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, before moving on to function at the German Embassy in Moscow (2000-2004) and Prague (2008-2011).