This article needs to be updated.(March 2024) |
The foreign policy of Sweden was formerly based on the premise that national security is best served by staying free of alliances in peacetime in order to remain a neutral country in the event of war, with this policy lasting from 1814 in the context of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars until the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine. In 2002, Sweden revised its security doctrine. The security doctrine at that point still stated that "Sweden pursues a policy of non-participation in military alliances," but permitted cooperation in response to threats against peace and security. The government also seeks to maintain Sweden's high standard of living. These two objectives required heavy expenditures for social welfare, defence spending at rates considered low by Western European standards (around 1.2% of GNP prior to 2022), [1] and close attention to foreign trade opportunities and world economic cooperation. In 2024, Sweden formally became part of a military alliance for the first time since the end of the War of the Sixth Coalition by joining NATO.
The foreign policy of Sweden encompasses a range of themes over the centuries. Some of the main issues include: [2] [3] [4] [5]
Sweden has been a member of the United Nations since November 19, 1946, and participates actively in the activities of the organization, including as an elected member of the Security Council (1957–1958, 1975–1976, 1997–1998 and 2017–2018), providing Dag Hammarskjöld as the second elected Secretary-General of the UN, etc. The strong interest of the Swedish Government and people in international cooperation and peacemaking has been supplemented in the early 1980s by renewed attention to Nordic and European security questions.
Sweden decided not to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. [6]
After the then Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson had submitted Sweden's application in July 1991 the negotiations began in February 1993. Finally, on January 1, 1995, Sweden became a member of the European Union. While some argued that it went against Sweden's historic policy of neutrality, where Sweden had not joined during the Cold War because it was seen as incompatible with neutrality, others viewed the move as a natural extension of the economic cooperation that had been going on since 1972 with the EU.[ citation needed ] Sweden addressed this controversy by reserving the right not to participate in any future EU defence alliance. In membership negotiations in 1993–1994, Sweden also had reserved the right to make the final decision on whether to join the third stage of the EMU "in light of continued developments." In a nationwide referendum in November 1994, 52.3 percent of participants voted in favour of EU membership. Voter turnout was high, 83.3 percent of the eligible voters voted. The main Swedish concerns included winning popular support for EU cooperation, EU enlargement, and strengthening the EU in areas such as economic growth, job promotion, and environmental issues.
In polls taken a few years after the referendum, many Swedes indicated that they were unhappy with Sweden's membership in the EU. However, after Sweden successfully hosted its first presidency of the EU in the first half of 2001, most Swedes today have a more positive attitude towards the EU. The government, with the support of the Center Party, decided in spring 1997 to remain outside of the EMU, at least until 2002. A referendum was held on September 14, 2003. The results were 55.9% for no, 42.0% yes and 2.1% giving no answer ("blank vote").
Swedish foreign policy has been the result of a wide consensus. Sweden cooperates closely with its Nordic neighbors, formally in economic and social matters through the Nordic Council of Ministers and informally in political matters through direct consultation.
Swedish neutrality and nonalignment policy in peacetime may partly explain how the country could stay out of wars since 1814. Swedish governments have not defined nonalignment as precluding outspoken positions in international affairs. Government leaders have favored national liberation movements that enjoy broad support among developing world countries, with notable attention to Africa. During the Cold War, Sweden was suspicious of the superpowers, which it saw as making decisions affecting small countries without always consulting those countries. With the end of the Cold War, that suspicion has lessened somewhat, although Sweden still chooses to remain nonaligned. Sweden has devoted particular attention to issues of disarmament, arms control, and nuclear nonproliferation and has contributed importantly to UN and other international peacekeeping efforts, including the NATO-led peacekeeping forces in the Balkans. It sat as an observer in the Western European Union from 1995 to 2011, but it is not an active member of NATO's Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
Sweden's engagement with NATO was especially strengthened during the term of Anders Fogh Rasmussen. [7]
Sweden's nonalignment policy has led it to serve as the protecting power for a number of nations who don't have formal diplomatic relations with each other for various reasons. It currently represents the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations in North Korea for consular matters. On several occasions when the United Kingdom broke off relations with Iran (including the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the Salman Rushdie affair, and the 2011 storming of the British embassy in Tehran), Sweden served as the protecting power for the UK.
In May 2022, Sweden formally applied to join the NATO alliance. The public opinion in the Nordic region had changed in favour of joining NATO since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 of the same year. [8]
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in March 2022 that her government would have to respond if Sweden became a NATO member. [9] However, in June 2022 President Vladimir Putin contradicted the statement, claiming that Sweden and Finland can "join whatever they want" on the condition that there will be no NATO military deployment in either country. [10]
Sweden has employed its military on numerous occasions since the end of the Cold War, from Bosnia and Congo to Afghanistan and Libya. According to one study, "this military activism is driven both by the Swedish internationalist tradition of "doing good" in the world, but also for instrumental purposes. These include a desire for political influence in international institutions, an interest in collective milieu shaping, and a concern to improve the interoperability and effectiveness of the Swedish military." [11]
Organization | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
European Union | See 1995 enlargement of the European Union Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995. | |
NATO | See Sweden–NATO relations Sweden joined NATO as a full member on 7 March 2024. |
List of countries which Sweden maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date |
---|---|---|
1 | Denmark | 6 June 1523 [12] |
2 | France | October 1541 [13] |
3 | Netherlands | April 1614 [14] |
4 | Portugal | 29 July 1641 [15] |
5 | Spain | 1651 [16] |
6 | United Kingdom | 23 December 1653 [17] |
7 | Russia | 15 March 1722 [18] |
8 | United States | 29 April 1818 [19] |
9 | Brazil | 1826 [20] |
10 | Greece | 24 January 1833 [21] |
11 | Belgium | 23 February 1837 [22] |
12 | Venezuela | 5 September 1839 [23] |
13 | Italy | 23 December 1859 [24] |
14 | Japan | 11 January 1868 [25] |
15 | Thailand | 18 May 1868 [26] |
16 | Argentina | 6 June 1872 [27] |
17 | Colombia | 11 December 1874 [28] |
18 | El Salvador | 1 October 1876 [29] |
19 | Costa Rica | 1883 [30] |
20 | Mexico | 29 July 1885 [31] |
21 | Switzerland | 1887 [32] |
22 | Chile | 14 June 1895 [33] |
23 | Iran | 5 September 1897 [34] |
24 | Cuba | 20 November 1902 [35] |
25 | Norway | 18 November 1905 [36] |
26 | Uruguay | 6 August 1906 [37] |
27 | Bulgaria | 6 July 1914 [38] |
28 | Romania | 18 March 1916 [39] |
29 | Serbia | 1 November 1917 [40] |
30 | Finland | 10 January 1918 [41] |
31 | Poland | 2 August 1919 [42] |
32 | Austria | 10 January 1920 [43] |
33 | Hungary | 12 November 1920 [44] |
34 | Czech Republic | 18 November 1920 [45] |
35 | Egypt | 25 November 1922 [46] |
36 | Luxembourg | 25 January 1923 [47] |
37 | Paraguay | 24 February 1923 [48] |
38 | Turkey | 1 August 1925 [49] |
39 | Guatemala | 9 December 1930 [50] |
40 | Ecuador | 21 September 1931 [51] |
41 | Bolivia | 2 February 1932 [52] [53] |
42 | South Africa | 30 November 1934 [54] [55] |
43 | Honduras | 1936 [56] [57] |
44 | Iraq | 1936 [58] |
45 | Nicaragua | 1936 [56] [59] |
46 | Panama | 3 July 1937 [60] |
47 | Peru | 11 February 1938 [61] |
48 | Iceland | 27 July 1940 [62] |
49 | Afghanistan | 22 November 1940 [63] |
50 | Haiti | 31 March 1941 [64] |
51 | Dominican Republic | 16 July 1942 [65] |
52 | Canada | 4 August 1944 [66] |
53 | Ethiopia | 27 December 1945 [67] |
54 | Lebanon | 7 February 1946 [68] |
55 | Ireland | 18 July 1946 [69] |
56 | Philippines | 17 January 1947 [70] |
57 | Syria | 24 June 1947 [71] |
58 | India | 22 June 1948 [72] |
59 | Sri Lanka | 18 November 1949 [73] |
60 | Pakistan | 24 November 1949 [74] |
61 | New Zealand | 1949 [75] |
62 | China | 9 May 1950 [76] [77] |
63 | Israel | 12 July 1950 [78] |
64 | Indonesia | 23 November 1950 [79] |
65 | Germany | 4 April 1951 [80] |
66 | Myanmar | 22 February 1956 [81] |
67 | Tunisia | 1956 [82] |
68 | Sudan | 27 October 1957 [83] |
69 | Jordan | 1957 [84] |
70 | Saudi Arabia | 1957 [85] |
71 | Liberia | 6 June 1958 [86] |
72 | Malaysia | 6 June 1958 [87] |
73 | Morocco | 1958 [88] |
74 | South Korea | 11 March 1959 [89] |
75 | Nepal | 10 June 1960 [90] |
76 | Somalia | 13 July 1960 [91] |
77 | Cyprus | 12 December 1960 [92] |
78 | Libya | 1960 [93] |
79 | Senegal | 8 May 1961 [94] |
80 | Nigeria | 3 October 1961 [95] |
81 | Benin | 21 November 1961 [96] |
82 | Madagascar | 1961 [97] |
83 | Ghana | 27 April 1962 [98] |
84 | Guinea | 26 November 1962 [99] |
85 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1962 [100] |
86 | Sierra Leone | 1962 [101] |
87 | Algeria | 19 July 1963 [102] |
88 | Ivory Coast | 31 December 1963 [103] |
89 | Australia | 1963 [104] |
90 | Kenya | January 1964 [105] |
91 | Cambodia | 19 February 1964 [106] |
92 | Uganda | 9 April 1964 [107] |
93 | Tanzania | 29 May 1964 [108] |
94 | Mongolia | 30 June 1964 [109] |
95 | Cameroon | 24 September 1964 [110] |
96 | Laos | 10 October 1964 [111] |
97 | Kuwait | 22 December 1964 [112] |
98 | Niger | 1964 [113] |
99 | Zambia | 1964 [114] |
100 | Mali | 25 January 1965 [115] |
101 | Burundi | 7 December 1965 [116] |
102 | Republic of the Congo | 1965 [117] |
103 | Gabon | 1965 [118] |
104 | Malawi | 1965 [119] |
105 | Singapore | 8 February 1966 [120] |
106 | Trinidad and Tobago | July 1966 [121] |
107 | Gambia | 1968 [122] |
108 | Lesotho | 1968 [123] |
109 | Vietnam | 11 January 1969 [124] [125] |
110 | Albania | 20 June 1969 [126] |
111 | Malta | June 1969 [127] |
112 | Burkina Faso | 1969 [128] [129] |
113 | Equatorial Guinea | 1969 [130] |
114 | Yemen | 29 September 1970 [131] [132] |
115 | Mauritania | 14 December 1970 [133] |
116 | Botswana | 19 December 1970 [134] |
117 | Bangladesh | 12 April 1972 [135] |
118 | United Arab Emirates | 1972 [136] |
119 | Qatar | 29 March 1973 [137] |
120 | North Korea | 7 April 1973 [138] |
121 | Eswatini | 1973 [139] |
122 | Mauritius | 1973 [140] |
123 | Tonga | 21 January 1974 [141] |
124 | Bahrain | 25 January 1974 [142] |
125 | Jamaica | 5 February 1974 [143] |
126 | Oman | 15 March 1974 [144] |
127 | Rwanda | 1974 [145] |
128 | Guinea-Bissau | 14 March 1975 [146] |
129 | Guyana | 16 June 1975 [147] |
130 | Mozambique | 25 June 1975 [148] |
131 | Barbados | 19 March 1976 [149] |
132 | Papua New Guinea | 10 November 1976 [150] |
133 | Cape Verde | 4 December 1976 [151] |
134 | Comoros | 1977 [152] |
135 | Samoa | 1977 [153] |
136 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 1977 [154] |
137 | Suriname | 15 March 1978 [155] |
138 | Togo | 15 March 1978 [156] |
139 | Angola | 22 March 1978 [157] |
140 | Bahamas | 9 May 1978 [158] |
141 | Maldives | 21 August 1978 [159] |
142 | Fiji | 3 April 1979 [160] |
143 | Seychelles | 14 August 1979 [161] |
144 | Solomon Islands | 24 October 1979 [162] |
145 | Djibouti | 20 February 1980 [163] |
146 | Zimbabwe | 30 April 1980 [164] |
147 | Grenada | 4 December 1980 [165] |
148 | Vanuatu | 27 September 1981 [166] |
149 | Saint Lucia | 1981 [167] |
150 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 June 1982 [168] |
— | Holy See | 2 August 1982 [169] |
151 | Belize | 17 November 1982 [170] |
152 | Central African Republic | 1983 [171] |
153 | Dominica | 3 May 1984 [172] |
154 | Brunei | 1984 [173] |
155 | Bhutan | 27 August 1985 [174] |
156 | San Marino | 13 December 1988 [175] |
157 | Namibia | 21 March 1990 [176] |
158 | Estonia | 28 August 1991 [177] |
159 | Latvia | 28 August 1991 [178] |
160 | Lithuania | 28 August 1991 [179] |
161 | Liechtenstein | 24 October 1991 [180] |
162 | Ukraine | 13 January 1992 [181] |
163 | Belarus | 14 January 1992 [182] |
164 | Croatia | 29 January 1992 [183] |
165 | Slovenia | 29 January 1992 [184] |
166 | Marshall Islands | 12 February 1992 [185] |
167 | Kyrgyzstan | 25 March 1992 [186] |
168 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 April 1992 [187] |
169 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 April 1992 [188] |
170 | Kazakhstan | 7 April 1992 [189] |
171 | Uzbekistan | 8 April 1992 [190] |
172 | Turkmenistan | 10 April 1992 [191] |
173 | Azerbaijan | 8 May 1992 [192] |
174 | Moldova | 12 June 1992 [193] |
175 | Armenia | 10 July 1992 [194] |
176 | Federated States of Micronesia | 26 August 1992 [195] |
177 | Georgia | 19 September 1992 [196] |
178 | Tajikistan | 9 December 1992 [197] |
179 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11 December 1992 [198] |
180 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 [199] |
181 | Eritrea | 24 June 1993 [200] |
182 | North Macedonia | 20 December 1993 [201] |
183 | Andorra | 16 March 1995 [202] |
184 | Chad | 3 August 1995 [203] |
185 | Palau | 9 August 1995 [204] |
186 | East Timor | 20 May 2002 [205] |
187 | Montenegro | 26 June 2006 [206] |
— | Kosovo | 28 March 2008 [207] |
188 | Monaco | 30 January 2009 [208] |
189 | South Sudan | 9 July 2011 [209] |
190 | Tuvalu | 24 August 2012 [210] |
191 | Kiribati | 28 September 2012 [211] |
192 | Nauru | 28 September 2012 [212] |
— | State of Palestine | 30 October 2014 [213] |
Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
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Egypt | 25 November 1922 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 November 1922 when Harald Bildt took up the post of first Swedish Minister to Egypt. [46]
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Mozambique | 25 June 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 June 1975. [148]
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Nigeria | 3 October 1961 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 October 1961. [95]
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South Africa | See South Africa-Sweden relations
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Sudan | 27 October 1957 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 October 1957 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Sudan (Resident in Addis Ababa) Dr. Bjorn Axel Eyvind Bratt. [83]
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Tanzania | 29 May 1964 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 May 1964 when Otto Gustaf Rathsman presented his credentials as Sweden's Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar to President Nyerere. [108]
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Tunisia | See Sweden–Tunisia relations
| |
Zimbabwe | 30 April 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 April 1980 when first Ambassador of Mozambique to Zimbabwe presented his credentials. [214] |
Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
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Argentina | See Argentina–Sweden relations
| |
Belize | 17 November 1982 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 1982. [215]
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Bolivia | 2 February 1932 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1932. [52] [53]
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Brazil | See Brazil–Sweden relations
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Canada | See Canada–Sweden relations Relations with Canada are close, positive and constructive. Both countries have strong commitments to peacekeeping, UN reform, development assistance, environmental protection, sustainable development, and the promotion and protection of human rights. [216] In addition, there are more than 300,000 Canadians of Swedish descent. [217]
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Chile | 1827 | See Chile–Sweden relations
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Colombia | 11 December 1874 |
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Guyana | 16 June 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 June 1975. [218]
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Mexico | 1850 [219] | See Mexico–Sweden relations.
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Peru | 11 February 1938 | See Peru–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 February 1938. [61]
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United States | 29 April 1818 | See Sweden–United States relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 April 1818. [221] Sweden and the United States have had strong ties since the 18th century.
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Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
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Armenia | 10 July 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1992. [222]
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Azerbaijan | 8 May 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 May 1992. [225]
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China | See China–Sweden relations.
In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Sweden, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang internment camps. [228] [229] | |
Georgia | 19 September 1992 | See Georgia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 September 1992. [230] |
India | See India–Sweden relations. | |
Indonesia | See Indonesia–Sweden relations. | |
Iran | 5 September 1897 | See Iran–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 September 1897 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Persia to Sweden with residence in St. Peterbourg Mirza Reza Khan Ar Faed-Doouleh. [34] |
Iraq | See Iraq–Sweden relations. The Swedish Embassy in Iraq is permanently closed after attacks by protesters over Quran Burning on the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. Iraq severed ties with Sweden since July 2023, after Swedish authorities allowed a man to burn the Iraqi flag and the Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy, Stockholm. [231] [232] [233] | |
Israel | See Israel–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1949. Israel has an embassy in Stockholm. [234] Sweden has an embassy in Tel Aviv. [235] | |
Japan | 1868 | See Japan–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1868 by signing the Swedish-Japanese Treaty in 1868. [236]
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Kazakhstan | 7 April 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 April 1992. [189]
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Kuwait | 22 December 1964 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 December 1964 when Sweden opened its embassy in Kuwait. [112] |
Malaysia | See Malaysia–Sweden relations. Diplomatic relations were established in 1958. [87] Sweden has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia has an embassy in Stockholm. As of 2009, 90 Swedish companies are present in Malaysia and about 450 Swedish citizens live in Malaysia. | |
North Korea | April 7, 1973 [237] | See North Korea–Sweden relations.
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Palestine | October 30, 2014 | See Palestine–Sweden relations. |
Saudi Arabia | See Saudi Arabia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1957. [85] | |
South Korea | 11 March 1959 | See South Korea–Sweden relations The establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Sweden began on March 11, 1959. [89]
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Syria | 24 June 1947 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 June 1947 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Syria with residence in Cairo Widar Bagge. [71] |
Turkey | See Sweden–Turkey relations.
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Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
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Albania | 20 June 1969 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 June 1969. [126] |
Austria |
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Belarus | 14 January 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 January 1992. [182] There are 3,000 Belarusian living in Sweden and above 1,000 Swedes living in Belarus.
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Belgium | 23 February 1837 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 February 1837 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Belgium to Sweden baron T. Vander Straten Ponthoz. [22] There is an ethnic group of Walloons living in Sweden making up the 8,000 Belgians living in Sweden and 5,000 Swedes living in Belgium.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15 December 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1992. [240] |
Bulgaria | July 6, 1914 | There are approximately 3,000 Swedes living in Bulgaria and
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Croatia | 29 January 1992 | See Croatia–Sweden relations.
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Cyprus | See Cyprus–Sweden relations.
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Czech Republic | 1 January 1993 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1993. [241]
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Denmark | See Denmark–Sweden relations. Today, both countries are separated by the Øresund, which links the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, of the Council of Europe, and of the European Union. There are around 21,000 Swedes living in Denmark and there are around 42,000 Danes living in Sweden.
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Estonia | 28 August 1991 | See Estonia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 August 1991. [177] Estonia was under Swedish occupation between 1561 and 1721. Sweden re-recognized Estonia on August 27, 1991.
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Finland | See Finland–Sweden relations. Finnish–Swedish relations have a long history (Sweden and Finland were the same country for several hundred years), due to the close relationship between Finland and Sweden. Particularly in Finland, the issue emerges in frequent exposés of Finnish history, and in motives for governmental proposals and actions as reported in Finnish news broadcasts in English or other foreign languages. In Sweden, this relationship is a recurrent important theme of 20th-century history, although maybe by most Swedes considered to be an issue of purely historical relevance now that both countries have been members of the European Union since 1995.
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France | See France–Sweden relations.
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Germany | See Germany–Sweden relations.
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Greece | 24 January 1833 | See Greece–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1833 when Carl Peter von Heidenstam (until then Consul General) was appointed as Chargé d'Affaires of the Kingdom of Sweden and Norway in Greece. [21]
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Hungary | See Hungary–Sweden relations. Diplomacy relations between the two countries started on December 28, 1945.
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Iceland | See Iceland–Sweden relations. | |
Ireland | 18 July 1946 | See Ireland–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 July 1946. [69] Ireland has an embassy in Stockholm.
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Italy | 23 December 1859 | See Italy–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 December 1859 when the first interim Chargé d'Affaires, Giov. Antonio Migliorati, was appointed. [24]
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Kosovo | See Kosovo–Sweden relations. Sweden recognized Kosovo on March 4, 2008. [242] Liaison Office of Sweden in Pristina, subordinated to the embassy in Skopje, North Macedonia. [243] On March 8, 2008, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt became the first foreign minister to officially visit Kosovo since it declared its independence. [244] Sweden currently has 243 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led Kosovo Force. [245]
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Latvia | 28 August 1991 | See Latvia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 August 1991. [178]
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Lithuania | 28 August 1991 | See Lithuania–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 August 1991. [179]
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Moldova | 12 June 1992 | See Moldova–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 June 1992. [193] Sweden is one of Moldova's top donors. From 1996, Sweden provided Moldova with technical assistance worth 30 million dollars, which significantly helped strengthen sectors such as: protection of human rights, democracy, good governance, public health, education, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, transport and the private sector. Much of the aid is delivered through the Swedish International Development Agency. [246] [247] In 2007, the Swedish Government established the 2007–2010 strategy of cooperation with Moldova, which sees 11 million euros in financial assistance annually for three important sectors: good governance, strengthening of com petitiveness in the rural area and reduction of vulnerability in the energy sector. [246] |
The Netherlands | See Netherlands–Sweden relations.
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Norway | See Norway–Sweden relations. | |
Poland | See Poland–Sweden relations.
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Portugal | See Portugal–Sweden relations.
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Romania | 1 November 1916 |
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Russia | See Russia–Sweden relations.
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Serbia | See Serbia–Sweden relations. | |
Slovenia |
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Spain | See Spain–Sweden relations.
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Switzerland |
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Ukraine | 13 January 1992 | See Sweden–Ukraine relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 January 1992. [181] A Ukrainian information bureau was opened 1916 in Stockholm by Volodymyr Stepankivskyi and M. Zaliznyak. In 1918 an official diplomatic mission from the Ukrainian People's Republic headed by K. Lossky was opened in Stockholm. [248] Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Sweden were established on January 13, 1992.
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United Kingdom | See Sweden–United Kingdom relations.
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Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
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Australia | See Australia–Sweden relations.
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Fiji | 3 April 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 April 1979. [249] |
New Zealand | See New Zealand–Sweden relations.
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The Consulate General of Sweden is the diplomatic mission of Sweden in New York City. It is located at One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in Turtle Bay, Manhattan, near the headquarters of the United Nations. The consulate general originated from the consulate opened in 1834, which was converted into an consulate general in 1914. The consulate general's district includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The consulate general offers various consular services like passport applications, citizenship matters, and name registration, alongside providing assistance to Swedes in emergencies. It also works on fostering cultural and economic ties, organizing events to promote Swedish culture in the northeastern United States. Additionally, it facilitates information sharing about Sweden, and promotes exchanges between Swedish and American organizations.
Vaccination against COVID-19 in Sweden started on 27 December 2020 after the approval of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine by the European Commission. In Sweden, the Public Health Agency has been commissioned by the government to create a vaccination plan. Sveriges riksbank, the central bank of Sweden, predicts that efficient vaccination against COVID-19 has macroeconomic benefits. As of 20 April 2022, 87.1% of people in Sweden have received at least one dose, with a total of 21,491,717 doses administered.: At least one vaccine has been approved for all age groups 12 and older. Children younger than 12 in high risk groups can also be vaccinated.
Latvia and Sweden have bilateral relations dating back to at least 1776, when a Swedish consulate was established in Riga. Parts of Livonia fell under the Swedish Empire from 1621 to 1709, including the dominion of Swedish Livonia. The two resumed diplomatic relations on 28 August 1991, following Latvia's restoration of independence amidst the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Latvia has an embassy in Stockholm while Sweden has an embassy in Riga. Both countries border the Baltic Sea and are members of the European Union, the Nordic-Baltic Eight, the Council of Europe and NATO, among other organisations. Latvia supported Sweden's NATO membership during Sweden's accession into NATO, which was finalized on 7 March 2024.
The Embassy of Sweden in Lima was Sweden's diplomatic mission in Peru. Diplomatic relations between Peru and Sweden were established in 1930 and the embassy opened the following year. It was closed in 2001 and reopened in 2016, only to close again in 2022. Since then, the Swedish ambassador in Santiago is also accredited to Lima.
The Embassy of Sweden in Beijing is Sweden's diplomatic mission in China. The embassy's task is to represent Sweden, the Swedish government in China and to promote Swedish interests. Trade promotion and development cooperation are other tasks for the embassy, as well as press and culture issues and migration and consular services. The embassy's sphere of responsibility includes Mongolia. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Ulaanbaatar.
... Suecia de esta- blecer la representación diplomática permanen- te de ese país en el Ecuador, en 21 de Septiem- bre de 1931 presentó el Excelentísimo Señor Einar Modig las Cartas Credenciales ...
Nicaragua. Anderberg, Gylfe ........ 1936-37
Nicaragua. Anderberg, Gylfe ........ 1936-37
Ethiopia ... Sweden M. Widar Bagge, Minister, 27th December, 1945
6 June 2008 does not only represent the National Day of Sweden, but also marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between Sweden and Malaysia. ...
24 sept. Etablissement de relations diplomatiques, au niveau des ambassades, avec la Suede, annonce officiellement a Yaounde.
KONGO ( BRAZZAVILLE ) Sändebud Malm, Dag Einar Jonas [ se Kongo Léopoldville ], 65 .
GABON Sändebud Malm, Dag Einar Jonas [ se Kongo Léopoldville ], 65 .
Envoye (även anställd i Lesotho och Swaziland) Westerberg, Erik Osvald Lennart, Fil.o.Pol.M.,17; 73