- Source: 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.
History
Sweden recognized Lebanon and Syria as independent states on 2 November 1945. Sweden and Lebanon established diplomatic relations in 1947. 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. In June 1957, Åke Sjölin was appointed as Sweden's first resident envoy in Beirut.
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.
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. Ambassador Ingemar Stjernberg was officially the ambassador to Lebanon but had been stationed in Stockholm since New Year's Eve 1985. From 1987, he served as consul general in West Berlin but remained accredited as ambassador to Beirut.
From 1990, Sweden's ambassador in Damascus was also accredited to Beirut. In the fall of 1996, the Swedish government decided to reassign Swedish staff to the mission in Beirut. The mission was reactivated in February 1996, and Leif Rensfeldt was appointed as chargé d'affaires and head of mission. The ambassador in Damascus remained accredited to Beirut.
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. 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. 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. On July 14, 2016, the Swedish government decided to reopen an embassy in Beirut. The embassy was to be fully established by 2017.
In August 2024, the embassy was temporarily closed and staff were relocated to Cyprus due to the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.
List of representatives
See also
Embassy of Sweden, Beirut
Footnotes
References
External links
Embassy of Sweden, Beirut, official website
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Daftar perwakilan diplomatik di Indonesia
- List of ambassadors of Sweden to Lebanon
- List of ambassadors to Sweden
- Lists of ambassadors of the United Kingdom
- List of ambassadors to the Philippines
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada
- List of ambassadors of the European Union
- Ambassadors of the United States
- List of ambassadors of Armenia
- List of ambassadors to Switzerland
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners of India
