The Ambassador of Sweden to Kuwait (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the State of Kuwait) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the emir of Kuwait and government of Kuwait. Since 2017, Sweden’s ambassador has been based in Abu Dhabi, with concurrent accreditation to Kuwait.
History Diplomatic relations between Sweden and Kuwait were established in 1965. On 23 April 1965, Sweden’s ambassador in Baghdad, Iraq, Bengt Odhner, was also appointed ambassador to Kuwait. On 19 May 1965, Odhner presented his credentials to Crown Prince Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah.
In 1971, a salaried consul was appointed as trade attaché at Sweden’s honorary consulate general in Kuwait City.
In January 1974, Sweden decided to open an embassy in Kuwait, initially headed by a counsellor serving as chargé d’affaires ad interim. From that year, Sweden’s ambassador in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was also accredited to Kuwait City. In 1977, Sweden appointed its first resident ambassador in Kuwait City. From the same year, the ambassador was also accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.
On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. A week later, on 9 August, the Swedish embassy in Kuwait City received a direct order from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to close by 24 August. The letter declared that all diplomatic missions in Kuwait no longer had any official duties and that diplomatic activities were to be transferred to Baghdad. The Swedish government refused to comply with this request. On 24 August, Iraqi occupation forces were stationed outside at least six embassies in Kuwait City, including Sweden’s. Ambassador and Embassy Secretary Lars-Erik Paulsson remained in Kuwait to keep the embassy open. On 8 September, they were forced to leave and were taken to Baghdad. Kiesow returned to Kuwait in March 1991.
In 2001, Sweden closed its embassy in Kuwait. Since 2017, Sweden’s ambassador in Abu Dhabi has also been accredited to Kuwait.
List of representatives NamePeriodResident/Non residentTitleNotesPresented credentialsRefBengt Odhner1965–1969 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Baghdad.19 May 1965Gunnar Gerring1969–1973 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Baghdad.Bengt Rösiö1974–1977 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Jeddah.Thord Bengtson1974–1977 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimGöran Bundy1977–1980 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Thord Bengtson1980–1982 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Carl-Gustav Åkesson1983–1986 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Ulf Norström1987–1989 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Ingolf Kiesow1989–1991 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Tommy Arwitz1992–1997 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Thomas Ganslandt1997–2001 ResidentAmbassadorAlso accredited to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama.Åke Karlsson2001–2006 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Riyadh.Jan Thesleff2006–2011 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Riyadh.Dag Juhlin-Dannfelt2011–2016 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Riyadh.Henrik Landerholm2017–2021 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Abu Dhabi.Liselott Andersson2021–2023 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Abu Dhabi.31 May 2023Fredrik FlorénSeptember 2023 – present Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Abu Dhabi.January 2025
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