Wikipedia

List of ambassadors of Sweden to Lebanon

The Ambassador of Sweden to Lebanon (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Lebanon) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the president of Lebanon and government of Lebanon. Sweden established diplomatic relations with Lebanon in 1947 and appointed its first resident ambassador in Beirut in 1957. The Swedish embassy in Beirut was temporarily closed during the Lebanese Civil War in 1985 and again in 2001, with staff periodically reassigned to Damascus or other locations. It was reopened in 2016, but in August 2024, the embassy was temporarily closed and staff were relocated to Cyprus due to the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.

Ambassador of
Sweden to Lebanon
Lesser coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden
Incumbent
Jessica Svärdström
since 2024
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Swedish Embassy, Beirut
StyleHis or Her Excellency (formal)
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
SeatBeirut, Lebanon
AppointerGovernment of Sweden
Term lengthNo fixed term
Inaugural holderWidar Bagge
Formation1947
WebsiteSwedish Embassy, Beirut

History

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Sweden recognized Lebanon and Syria as independent states on 2 November 1945.[1] Sweden and Lebanon established diplomatic relations in 1947.[2] In the council on 7 February 1947, Sweden's minister in Cairo, Envoy Widar Bagge, was appointed as envoy to both Beirut and Damascus, while remaining stationed in Cairo.[1] In June 1957, Åke Sjölin was appointed as Sweden's first resident envoy in Beirut.[3]

In March 1960, an agreement was reached between the Swedish and Lebanese 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, Sweden's newly appointed envoy to Beirut, Gösta Brunnström, was designated as ambassador.[4]

During the Lebanese Civil War in November 1985, it was announced that the Swedish embassy in Beirut would be temporarily closed until the situation stabilized.[5] Ambassador Ingemar Stjernberg was officially the ambassador to Lebanon but had been stationed in Stockholm since New Year's Eve 1985.[6] From 1987, he served as consul general in West Berlin but remained accredited as ambassador to Beirut.[7]

From 1990, Sweden's ambassador in Damascus was also accredited to Beirut.[8] In the fall of 1996, the Swedish government decided to reassign Swedish staff to the mission in Beirut.[9] The mission was reactivated in February 1996, and Leif Rensfeldt was appointed as chargé d'affaires and head of mission.[10] The ambassador in Damascus remained accredited to Beirut.[11]

In January 2000, Ambassador Ann Dismorr succeeded chargé d'affaires Sverker Åström in Beirut, and Sweden once again had a resident ambassador in Lebanon after 15 years of absence.[12] On 26 April 2001, the Swedish government decided to close the embassy in Beirut. The embassy would be closed only after Sweden had completed its Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the end of June.[13] From 2001, the Swedish ambassador in Damascus was once again accredited to Beirut as well.

From October 2014, Sweden's chargé d'affaires in Damascus, Diana Janse, was stationed in Beirut due to the security situation. On 1 April 2015, she was appointed as the new resident ambassador in Beirut.[14][15] On July 14, 2016, the Swedish government decided to reopen an embassy in Beirut. The embassy was to be fully established by 2017.[16]

In August 2024, the embassy was temporarily closed and staff were relocated to Cyprus due to the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[17]

List of representatives

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Name Period Resident/Non resident Title Notes Ref
Widar Bagge 1947–1951   Non-resident Envoy Dual accreditation from the embassy in Cairo. [18]
Gustaf Weidel 1951–1955   Non-resident Envoy Dual accreditation from the embassy in Cairo. [19]
Brynolf Eng 1955–1957   Non-resident Envoy Dual accreditation from the embassy in Cairo. [20]
Åke Sjölin 1957–1960   Resident Envoy Dual accreditation to Damascus 1957–1960 and in Amman 1957–1958. [21]
Gösta Brunnström 1960–1965   Resident Ambassador Dual accreditation to Riyadh, Amman, and Nicosia 1960–1965 as well as Damascus 1961–1965. [22]
Claës Ivar Wollin 1965–1969   Resident Ambassador Dual accreditation to Amman, Damascus, Jeddah, and Nicosia. [23]
Åke Jonsson 1969–1974   Resident Ambassador Dual accreditation to Amman, Damascus, and Nicosia 1969–1974, Riyadh 1969–1974 and Sanaa 1971–1974. [24]
Jean-Jacques von Dardel 1974–1978   Resident Ambassador Dual accreditation to Damascus and Amman. [25]
Sten Strömholm 1979–1983   Resident Ambassador Dual accreditation to Damascus and Amman. [26]
Ingemar Stjernberg 1983–1990   Resident[a] Ambassador Dual accreditation to Amman. [7]
Lars Bjarme 1984–1985   Resident Chargé d'affaires/First Embassy Secretary [27][28]
Rolf Gauffin 1990–1991   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [8]
Stig Elvemar 1991–1994   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [29]
Jan Nordlander 1994–1997   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [30]
Leif Rensfeldt 1996–1999   Resident Chargés d'affaires ad interim [11]
Tommy Arwitz 1997–1999   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [11]
Sverker Åström 1999–1999   Resident Chargé d'affaires [31]
Ann Dismorr 1999–2001   Resident Ambassador [32]
Viola Furubjelke 2001–2005   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [33]
Catharina Kipp 2005–2008   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [34]
Niklas Kebbon 2008–2015   Non-resident Ambassador Dual accreditation from the embassy in Damascus. [35]
Diana Janse 2015–2015   Resident Ambassador Also chargé d'affaires in Damascus. [14][15]
Peter Semneby 2015 – August 2017   Resident Ambassador Also chargé d'affaires in Damascus. [36]
Jörgen Lindström 2017–2020   Resident Ambassador
Harriet Pedersen September 2020 – 2021   Resident Ambassador [37]
Ann Dismorr 2021–2024   Resident Ambassador [38]
Jessica Svärdström 2024 – present   Resident Ambassador [39]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Stjernberg was officially an ambassador to Lebanon but had been stationed in Stockholm since New Year's Eve 1985,[6] and since 1987, he served as Consul General in West Berlin while remaining an accredited ambassador to Beirut.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Sändebudet i Cairo envoyé Widar Bagge" [The minister in Cairo envoy Widar Bagge]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 8 February 1947. p. 20. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Libanon" [Lebanon] (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Utnämningar inom UD" [Appointments within the Ministry for Foreign Affairs]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 28 June 1957. p. 4A. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  4. ^ "UD-förordnanden" [Foreign Ministry appointments]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 30 March 1960. p. A7. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Sverige stänger" [Sweden closes]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Stockholm. TT. 28 November 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Atterstam, Inger (2 August 1987). "Ingen begäran om utlämning" [No request for extradition]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 6. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Uddling, Hans; Paabo, Katrin, eds. (1992). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1029. ISBN 91-1-914072-X. SELIBR 8261513.
  8. ^ a b Salander Mortensen, Jill, ed. (1996). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 373. ISBN 91-1-960852-7. SELIBR 3681533.
  9. ^ "Sverige får ny man i Beirut" [Sweden gets a new man in Beirut]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). TT. 20 September 1996. p. 14. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  10. ^ Edvardsson, Cordelia (1 February 1997). "Sverige öppnar åter ambassaden i Beirut" [Sweden reopens the embassy in Beirut]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Amman. p. 9. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1999). Sveriges statskalender 1999 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 186. ISBN 91-38-31445-2. SELIBR 3682778.
  12. ^ von Hall, Gunilla (27 December 1999). "Dismorr avlöser Åström i Mellanösterns Paris" [Dismorr replaces Åström in the Paris of the Middle East]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 14. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Svenska ambassader stängs" [Swedish embassies are closing] (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Ny ambassadör i Libanon" [New ambassador to Lebanon] (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  15. ^ a b "The Future of Europe and the Transatlantic Link". Stockholm Free World Forum. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Sverige öppnar ambassad i Libanon" [Sweden opens embassy in Lebanon] (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. 14 July 2016. Archived from the original on 15 July 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  17. ^ "The Embassy of Sweden has been temporarily relocated to Cyprus". Embassy of Sweden, Beirut. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024 – via Facebook.
  18. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1951 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1951. p. 293.
  19. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1955 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1955. p. 308.
  20. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1957 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1957. p. 290.
  21. ^ Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1977 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1977] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1976. p. 924. ISBN 91-1-766022-X. SELIBR 3681523.
  22. ^ Lagerström, Sten, ed. (1966). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1967 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1967] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 143. SELIBR 3681518.
  23. ^ Uddling, Hans; Paabo, Katrin, eds. (1994). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1995 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1995] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1209. ISBN 91-1-943202-X. SELIBR 8261514.
  24. ^ Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1984. p. 566. ISBN 91-1-843222-0. SELIBR 3681527.
  25. ^ Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1984. p. 236. ISBN 91-1-843222-0. SELIBR 3681527.
  26. ^ Uddling, Hans; Paabo, Katrin, eds. (1992). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1042. ISBN 91-1-914072-X. SELIBR 8261513.
  27. ^ Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1985). Sveriges statskalender 1985 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Liber Allmänna. p. 353. ISBN 91-38-90564-7. SELIBR 3682783.
  28. ^ Lidén, Erik (21 September 1984). "Falskt asylrykte. Sveriges ambassad i Beirut 'belägrad'" [False asylum claim. Swedish embassy in Beirut 'besieged']. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). No. 257. p. 6. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  29. ^ Jönsson, Lena, ed. (2000). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 292. ISBN 9172850426. SELIBR 8261515.
  30. ^ Jönsson, Lena, ed. (2000). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 843. ISBN 9172850426. SELIBR 8261515.
  31. ^ Håstad, Disa (21 August 1999). "Sverker Åström, 83, på ny post" [Sverker Åström, 83, on new post]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). p. A 10. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  32. ^ Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2001). Sveriges statskalender 2001 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 184. ISBN 9138318385. SELIBR 8261601.
  33. ^ Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2005). Sveriges statskalender 2005 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. p. 182. ISBN 9138321971. SELIBR 9879458.
  34. ^ Henriksson, Maria, ed. (2008). Sveriges statskalender 2008 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes. p. 188. ISBN 978-91-38-32405-9. SELIBR 10900526.
  35. ^ Sveriges statskalender 2010 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes. 2010. p. 188. ISBN 978-91-38-32520-9. SELIBR 11846164.
  36. ^ Svensson, Petter (28 January 2018). "Syrien: Långt kvar till bestående fred" [Syria: Long way to lasting peace]. Amnesty press (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svenska sektionen, Amnesty International. SELIBR 8260785. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  37. ^ "Ny ambassadör i Libanon" [New ambassador in Lebanon] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  38. ^ "Ny ambassadör i Libanon" [New ambassador in Lebanon] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  39. ^ "Ny ambassadör i Libanon" [New ambassador in Lebanon] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
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