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List of ambassadors of Sweden to Liberia

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Ambassador of
Sweden to Liberia
Lesser coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden
Incumbent
Karl Backéus
since 2024
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Swedish Embassy, Monrovia
StyleHis or Her Excellency (formal)
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
SeatMonrovia, Liberia
AppointerGovernment of Sweden
Term lengthNo fixed term
Inaugural holderKnut Richard Thyberg
Formation3 October 1958
WebsiteSwedish Embassy, Monrovia

The Ambassador of Sweden to Liberia (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Liberia) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the president of Liberia and government of Liberia. Sweden established diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1958, initially through its ambassador in Portugal, who was also accredited to Liberia. In 1961, Sweden opened its first resident embassy in Monrovia, reflecting its growing economic and political interest in the region, particularly linked to its investment in LAMCO, a major iron ore mining project. From the 1970s, Sweden scaled back its diplomatic presence in Liberia, with the ambassador based in Stockholm and a junior diplomat managing day-to-day operations in Monrovia. The embassy closed during the Liberian Civil War in 1990, with Liberian affairs managed remotely or through ambassadors based in other West African capitals. Sweden reopened its embassy in Monrovia in 2010, with a chargé d'affaires leading the mission until 2013, when a resident ambassador was again appointed.

History

On 3 October 1958, Sweden's ambassador to Portugal, Knut Richard Thyberg, was appointed as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to be accredited in Liberia as well. He presented his credentials to President William Tubman in November of the same year. In November 1959, an agreement was reached between the Swedish and Liberian governments on the mutual elevation of the respective countries' legations to embassies. The diplomatic rank was thereafter changed to ambassador instead of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary. In connection with this, Ambassador Alexis Aminoff in Lisbon was appointed as Sweden's ambassador to Monrovia.

In January 1961, Sweden planned to establish three new diplomatic missions in Africa, including an independent mission in Liberia. The proposed mission in Monrovia was intended to serve not only Liberia but also Ghana, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. A delegation recommended setting up at least two missions in West Africa, prioritizing Monrovia and Lagos. Additionally, a third mission was suggested for one of the French-speaking West African republics, such as Dakar or Abidjan. Until further expansions, the head of the Monrovia mission was to be accredited to some former French republics. These proposals were part of Sweden's efforts to strengthen economic ties and were reflected in that year's budget proposal. In August 1961, Torsten Brandel [sv] was appointed as Sweden's first resident ambassador in Monrovia. He was also accredited as ambassador to certain neighboring countries. Brandel presented his credentials in Monrovia on 20 September 1961.

Sweden maintained an embassy in Liberia primarily due to its investment in the Liberian American–Swedish Minerals Company (LAMCO), which mined iron ore from 1963 to 1989. This investment was the largest Swedish commercial project in Africa during the Cold War, blending industrial and political interests. Between 1955 and 1965, Swedish foreign policy strongly supported LAMCO, combining industrial and diplomatic efforts to protect its operations and boost Sweden's global prestige. The embassy in Monrovia, established in 1961, managed these interests and portrayed LAMCO as a development-focused initiative, enhancing Sweden's image as neutral and progressive. Vocational training projects were framed as aid, though critics noted the overlap between private and national interests. By the mid-1960s, shifting theories and public opinion prioritized political conditions in aid-receiving nations. Liberia, seen as undemocratic and aligned with LAMCO, no longer fit Sweden's focus. Aid ended in 1972, but business ties kept the Monrovia embassy open until 1990.

From the 1970s onward, Sweden scaled back its diplomatic presence in Liberia, reflecting shifting priorities in foreign policy. While the ambassador to Liberia was primarily based in Stockholm, the embassy in Monrovia was headed by a junior diplomat who managed day-to-day operations. This arrangement allowed Sweden to maintain a minimal presence in Liberia, supporting business interests such as those linked to LAMCO, while reducing on-site diplomatic staff in regions deemed less critical to Sweden’s evolving international objectives. The ambassador handled Liberian affairs remotely, with periodic visits to Monrovia, focusing on maintaining bilateral relations and overseeing residual Swedish activities in the country.

After the outbreak of the Liberian Civil War in December 1989, the Swedish embassy was closed on 1 March 1990. The ambassador continued to be based in Stockholm until 1998. From 1999 to 2005, the Swedish ambassador in Abidjan was accredited to Monrovia, and from 2006 to 2010, the Swedish ambassador in Dakar held this accreditation. Between 2011 and 2013, the ambassador was once again based in Stockholm.

The embassy reopened on 14 December 2010. The embassy was subsequently led by a chargé d'affaires as the ambassador remained stationed in Stockholm. In 2013, Sofia Strand was appointed as the new ambassador in Monrovia, marking a transition for Sweden from having an ambassador based in Stockholm to having an ambassador stationed on-site in Monrovia.

List of representatives

Name Period Resident/Non resident Title Notes Ref
Knut Richard Thyberg 3 October 1958 – 1959 Non-resident Envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary Accredited from the embassy in Lisbon.
Alexis Aminoff November 1959 – 1961 Non-resident Ambassador Accredited from the embassy in Lisbon.
Torsten Brandel 1961–1962 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Abidjan, Accra, Conakry, and Freetown.
Bo Järnstedt 1962–1964 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Accra, Conakry, and Freetown.
Olof Ripa 1964–1968 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Abidjan (from 1967), Accra, Conakry, and Freetown.
Hans-Efraim Sköld 1969–1972 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Abidjan, Conakry, and Freetown.
Bengt Friedman 1973–1976 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Abidjan, Bissau (from 1975), Conakry, Freetown, and Praia.
Olof Skoglund 1976–1977 Resident Ambassador Also accredited to Abidjan, Bissau, Conakry, Freetown, and Praia.
Anders Backman 1977–1981 Resident First embassy secretary
Cai Melin 1978–1982 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Peter Ahlgren 1981–1985 Resident First embassy secretary and acting chargé d'affaires
Erik Cornell 1983–1988 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Ove Svensson 1985–? Resident First embassy secretary and acting chargé d'affaires
Bengt Holmquist 1988–1992 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Annie Marie Sundbom 1992–1997 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Arne Ekfelt 1997–1998 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Göran Ankarberg 1999–2002 Non-resident Ambassador Accredited from the embassy in Abidjan.
Inga Björk-Klevby 2002–2005 Non-resident Ambassador Accredited from the embassy in Abidjan.
Agneta Bohman 2006–2010 Non-resident Ambassador Accredited from the embassy in Dakar.
Klas Gierow 2010–2011 Resident Acting chargé d'affaires
Per EJ Carlson 2011–2013 Non-resident Ambassador Stationed in Stockholm.
Sofia Strand 2013–2015 Resident Ambassador
Lena Nordström 2015–2017 Resident Ambassador
Ingrid Wetterqvist May 2017 – 2021 Resident Ambassador
Urban Sjöström 15 August 2021 – 2024 Resident Ambassador
Karl Backéus 2024–present Resident Ambassador

Footnotes

  1. The Sveriges statskalender (1964), p. 311, lists the year as 1963. However, Dagens Nyheter reported in March 1962 that Järnstedt had already presented his credentials to President William Tubman in Monrovia. Vem är det ("Who's Who") (1984), p. 571, also states the year as 1962.
  2. Cape Verde became independent on 5 July 1975. Jönsson (2000), p. 360, states that Friedman was accredited in Cape Verde's capital, Praia, the year before, in 1974. Sköldenberg (1976), pp. 434–435, does not mention that he was accredited in Praia.

References

  1. ^ "Sändebudet i Lissabon..." [The ambassador in Lisbon...]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 4 October 1958. p. 14A. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Svenska sändebudet i Portugal" [The Swedish ambassador in Portugal]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 16 November 1958. p. 20A. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Överenskommelse har träffats mellan Sverige och Liberias regeringar..." [Agreement has been reached between the governments of Sweden and Liberia...]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 18 November 1959. p. 14A. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  4. "Intensifierad UD-aktivitet". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 12 January 1961. p. A11. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  5. "Flera Afrikastater vill ha ökade Sverigeförbindelser". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 20 January 1961. p. A5. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  6. "Mångsysslare" [Multitasker]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 17 August 1961. p. 8A. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  7. "Sveriges ambassadör i Monrovia..." [Sweden's ambassador in Monrovia...]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 21 September 1961. p. A15. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  8. ^ Bruno, Karl (2018). "The Government's Business? Swedish Foreign Policy and Commercial Mineral Interests in Liberia, 1955–1980". Scandinavian Journal of History. 43:5: 624–645. ISSN 0346-8755. SELIBR 9n4k5qrz7j6989sg.
  9. Jansson, Peter (2 May 1990). "Svenskar kvar i Liberia" [Swedes remain in Liberia]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). p. A8. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  10. Wetterqvist, Ingrid (14 December 2020). "Embassy of Sweden in Liberia 2010-2020". Embassy of Sweden, Monrovia. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  11. "Liberia" (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. 4 March 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Ny ambassadör till Liberia" [New ambassador to Liberia] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 12 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  13. Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1977 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1977] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1976. p. 1022. ISBN 91-1-766022-X. SELIBR 3681523.
  14. Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1977 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1977] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1976. p. 28. ISBN 91-1-766022-X. SELIBR 3681523.
  15. Sveriges statskalender 1962 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1962. pp. 298–300, 302, 304.
  16. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1964 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1964. pp. 309–311, 314.
  17. "Sveriges nye ambassadör i Liberia" [Sweden's new ambassador to Liberia]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 15 March 1962. p. A15. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  18. Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1984. p. 571. ISBN 91-1-843222-0. SELIBR 3681527.
  19. Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1968 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1968. pp. 316–317, 319, 322.
  20. Sköldenberg, Bengt, ed. (1972). Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1972 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. pp. 353–354, 356, 359. SELIBR 3682755.
  21. Jönsson, Lena, ed. (2000). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 360. ISBN 9172850426. SELIBR 8261515.
  22. ^ Sköldenberg, Bengt, ed. (1976). Sveriges statskalender 1976 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Liber/Allmänna. pp. 427, 430, 434–435, 441. ISBN 91-38-02736-4. SELIBR 3682757.
  23. Sköldenberg, Bengt, ed. (1977). Sveriges statskalender 1977 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Liber/Allmänna. pp. 437, 440, 444–445, 451. ISBN 91-38-03338-0. SELIBR 3682758.
  24. ^ "officiellt" [officially]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 4 April 1981. p. 38. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  25. Sköldenberg, Bengt, ed. (1982). Sveriges statskalender 1982 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Liber/Allmänna. p. 59. ISBN 9138067307. SELIBR 3682763.
  26. "Namn idag" [Names of today]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 15 May 1985. p. 40. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  27. Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1988). Sveriges statskalender 1988 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Allmänna. p. 63. ISBN 91-38-09927-6. SELIBR 3682767.
  28. "Namn idag" [Names of today]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 23 May 1985. p. 46. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  29. Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1992). Sveriges statskalender 1992 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Allmänna. p. 68. ISBN 913812694X. SELIBR 3682771.
  30. Almqvist, Gerd, ed. (1997). Sveriges statskalender 1997 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 83. ISBN 9138309734. SELIBR 3682776.
  31. Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1998). Sveriges statskalender 1998 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 87. ISBN 9138313111. SELIBR 3682777.
  32. Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2002). Sveriges statskalender 2002 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 186. ISBN 9138319519. SELIBR 8428312.
  33. Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2005). Sveriges statskalender 2005 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 182. ISBN 9138321971. SELIBR 9879458.
  34. Sveriges statskalender 2010 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes. 2010. p. 188. ISBN 978-91-38-32520-9. SELIBR 11846164.
  35. "Klas Gierow Sveriges nye ambassadör i Nicosia" [Klas Gierow Sweden's new ambassador to Nicosia] (PDF). CYPERN NYHETER (in Swedish) (1): 3. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  36. "Ny ambassadör i Liberia" [New ambassador in Liberia] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  37. "Ny ambassadör i Liberia" [New ambassador in Liberia] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  38. "Ny ambassadör till Liberia" [New ambassador to Liberia] (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Monrovia. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  39. "Ny ambassadör i Liberia" [New ambassador in Liberia] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.

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