Bo Wilén
Swedish diplomat (1944–2023)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bo "Bosse" Lennart Wilén (5 June 1944 – 17 January 2023) was a Swedish diplomat whose career began in development cooperation at SIDA (1970–1977), including postings in Zambia and Tunisia. He joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1978 and held several diplomatic positions across North Africa, Europe, and West Africa. He served in embassies in Tunis, Algiers, Tripoli, and Stockholm, later becoming embassy counsellor in Rome, where he also represented Sweden at major UN food and agricultural agencies. He then held ambassadorial posts in Ivory Coast, Senegal, and later for Libya and Tunisia, with broad regional responsibilities in West Africa.
5 June 1944
Bo Wilén | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bo Lennart Wilén 5 June 1944 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 17 January 2023 (aged 78) Stockholm, Sweden |
Resting place | Sandsborgskyrkogården |
| Other name | "Bosse"[1] |
| Education | Nya elementarskolan |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Years active | 1968–2008 |
Early life
Wilén was born on 5 June 1944 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Lennart Wilén, a construction engineer, and his wife Brita (née Gunnarsson).[2] He grew up in Fredhäll on Kungsholmen in Stockholm and completed his upper secondary school diploma at Nya elementarskolan, after which he did his military service at the Swedish Army Riding and Horse-Driving School.[1] He earned a degree in social work and public administration in 1967[2] and at the time also worked part-time as a tram driver.[1]
Career
Wilén worked as a payroll secretary in Boo Rural Disctrict from 1968 to 1970, and then as an official at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) from 1970 to 1977. During this period, he undertook field assignments in Zambia from 1972 to 1974 and in Tunisia from 1974 to 1976. From 1978, he served at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.[2]
He went on to become first embassy secretary in Tunis (1978–1982), Algiers (1982–1985), Tripoli (1985–1988), and Stockholm (1988–1991). He then served as embassy counsellor in Rome from 1991 to 1996, where he was also Sweden's representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).[2]
From 1995, he was ambassador to Ivory Coast, with concurrent accreditation to Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin (1996–1999).[3] He subsequently served as ambassador to Senegal, also accredited to Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and The Gambia (2000–2002).[2][4] After that, he was based in Stockholm as ambassador for Libya and Tunisia from 2003 to 2008.[5]
Personal life
Wilén had an apartment in La Marsa in northeastern Tunisia, where he often returned. In Stockholm, he lived in the Erlander House in Marieberg on Kungsholmen. Later in life, he moved to a senior residence in Fredhäll, where he had grown up.[1]
Wilén, who had worked part-time as a tram driver when he was young, was a lifelong member of the Swedish Tramway Society.[1]
Death
Wilén died on 17 January 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was interred on 3 August 2023 at Sandsborgskyrkogården in Stockholm.[6]