List of ambassadors of Sweden to Kuwait

Diplomatic relations between Sweden and Kuwait were established in 1965.^[1] On 23 April 1965, Sweden’s ambassador in Baghdad, Iraq, Bengt Odhner, was also appointed ambassador to Kuwait.^[2] On 19 May 1965, Odhner presented his credentials to Crown Prince Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah.^[3]

In 1971, a salaried consul was appointed as trade attaché at Sweden’s honorary consulate general in Kuwait City.^[4][5]

In January 1974, Sweden decided to open an embassy in Kuwait, initially headed by a counsellor serving as chargé d’affaires ad interim.^[6] 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.^[7]

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.^[8] On 24 August, Iraqi occupation forces were stationed outside at least six embassies in Kuwait City, including Sweden’s.^[9] Ambassador Ingolf Kiesow [sv] 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.^[10] Kiesow returned to Kuwait in March 1991.^[11]

In 2001, Sweden closed its embassy in Kuwait.^[12] Since 2017, Sweden’s ambassador in Abu Dhabi has also been accredited to Kuwait.