List of ambassadors of Sweden to Liberia
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Ambassador
| body =
Sweden to Liberia
| native_name =
| insignia = Coat of arms of Sweden.svg
| insigniasize = 100px
| insigniacaption = Lesser coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden
| insigniaalt =
| flag =
| flagsize = 200
| flagalt =
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption =
| image =
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| imagecaption =
| incumbent = Karl Backéus
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 2024
| department = Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Swedish Embassy, Monrovia
| style = His or Her Excellency (formal)
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation =
| member_of =
| reports_to = Minister for Foreign Affairs
| residence =
| seat = Monrovia, Liberia
| nominator =
| appointer = Government of Sweden
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength = No fixed term
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor =
| inaugural = Knut Richard Thyberg
| formation = 3 October 1958
| first =
| last =
| abolished =
| superseded_by =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary =
| website = {{URL|https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/liberia-monrovia/|Swedish Embassy, Monrovia}}
| footnotes =
}}
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.{{cite news |url=https://static.bonniernews.se/gcs/arkivet/1959/11/bib13991099_19591118_11165_313_499182/bib13991099_19591118_11165_313_0014-4807x6508.jpeg |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |title=Överenskommelse har träffats mellan Sverige och Liberias regeringar... |trans-title=Agreement has been reached between the governments of Sweden and Liberia... |page=14A |date=1959-11-18 |access-date=12 December 2024 |language=sv}}
In January 1961, Sweden planned to establish three new diplomatic missions in Africa, including an independent mission in Liberia.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1961-01-12/11/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Intensifierad UD-aktivitet |trans-title=Intensified Foreign Ministry activity |page=A11 |date=1961-01-12 |access-date=21 July 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1961-01-20/5/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Flera Afrikastater vill ha ökade Sverigeförbindelser |trans-title=Several African states want increased ties with Sweden |page=A5 |date=1961-01-20 |access-date=21 July 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}} In August 1961, {{ill|Torsten Brandel|sv}} was appointed as Sweden's first resident ambassador in Monrovia. He was also accredited as ambassador to certain neighboring countries.{{cite news |url=https://static.bonniernews.se/gcs/arkivet/1961/08/bib13991099_19610817_11165_221_499817/bib13991099_19610817_11165_221_0008-4712x6515.jpeg |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |title=Mångsysslare |trans-title=Multitasker |page=8A |date=1961-08-17 |access-date=12 December 2024 |language=sv}} Brandel presented his credentials in Monrovia on 20 September 1961.{{cite news |url=https://static.bonniernews.se/gcs/arkivet/1961/09/bib13991099_19610921_11165_256_499852/bib13991099_19610921_11165_256_0015-4787x6518.jpeg |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |title=Sveriges ambassadör i Monrovia... |trans-title=Sweden's ambassador in Monrovia... |page=A15 |date=1961-09-21 |access-date=12 December 2024 |language=sv}}
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.{{cite journal |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03468755.2018.1479214#d1e100 |last=Bruno |first=Karl |title=The Government's Business? Swedish Foreign Policy and Commercial Mineral Interests in Liberia, 1955–1980 |year=2018 |journal=Scandinavian Journal of History |volume=43 |issue=5 |issn=0346-8755 |id={{LIBRIS|9n4k5qrz7j6989sg}} |pages=624–645|doi=10.1080/03468755.2018.1479214 }} 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.{{cite news |url=https://static.bonniernews.se/gcs/arkivet/1990/05/bib13991099_19900502_0_117_473425/bib13991099_19900502_0_117_0008-4786x6711.jpeg |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |title=Svenskar kvar i Liberia |trans-title=Swedes remain in Liberia |first=Peter |last=Jansson |page=A8 |date=1990-05-02 |access-date=12 December 2024 |language=sv}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/liberia-monrovia/current/news/10th-anniversary/ |publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Monrovia |title=Embassy of Sweden in Liberia 2010-2020 |first=Ingrid |last=Wetterqvist |date=14 December 2020 |access-date=12 December 2024}} The embassy was subsequently led by a chargé d'affaires as the ambassador remained stationed in Stockholm.{{cite web |url=http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/2574/a/75497 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205181058/http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/2574/a/75497 |publisher=Government Offices of Sweden |title=Liberia |date=4 March 2008 |archive-date=5 December 2013 |access-date=13 December 2024 |language=sv}} 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.
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List of representatives
Footnotes
{{Notelist}}
References
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