List of ambassadors of Sweden to Latvia
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Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
| Ambassador of Sweden to Latvia | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Incumbent since 2025Daniel Olsson | |
| Ministry for Foreign Affairs Swedish Embassy, Riga | |
| Style | His or Her Excellency (formal) Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal) |
| Reports to | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Seat | Riga, Latvia |
| Appointer | Government of Sweden |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Inaugural holder | Torsten Undén |
| Formation | 1921 |
| Website | Swedish Embassy, Riga |
The Ambassador of Sweden to Latvia (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Latvia) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the president of Latvia and government of Latvia.
A Swedish consulate was established in Riga in 1776, and its jurisdiction was expanded several times during the 19th century. It became a paid consulate in 1881, had its district extended in 1903, and was converted into a vice-consulate in 1906. In 1913, the Swedish Parliament approved the reestablishment of the consulate.[1] The consulate was closed in 1924. Three years earlier, in 1921, Sweden opened a legation in Riga.[2]
On 4 February 1921, it was announced that the King in Council had recognized the Republic of Latvia as an independent and sovereign state.[3][4] Later that summer, a chargé d'affaires ad interim was appointed to head the consulate in Tallinn, which functioned as a legation during the interwar period.[5][2] On 30 September 1921, Torsten Undén was appointed Sweden's first minister in Riga and Tallinn.[6] After just one year, the legation was relocated to Riga, and the mission in Tallinn was downgraded to a consulate under the Riga embassy.[7] The head of mission in Riga thus became accredited in Tallinn as well.[2]
In September 1939, Sweden's envoy to Riga, Tallinn, and Kaunas, Birger Johansson, presented his letters of recall to the Estonian and Lithuanian presidents after that year's regular session of the Swedish Parliament approved the proposal for independent legations in Estonia and Lithuania.[8] On 15 June 1940, the Soviet Union began its occupation of the Baltic states. On 24 August 1940, Sweden closed its diplomatic missions in Riga, Tallinn, and Kaunas, with a deadline of 25 August to complete the withdrawal.[9]
In 1989, Sweden opened a branch office in Riga under the Consulate General in Leningrad, managed by a consul.[10] On 27 August 1991, the Swedish government decided to reestablish diplomatic relations with Latvia. The agreement took effect the following day, 28 August.[11]
The new Swedish embassy in Riga was inaugurated on 29 August 1991, in a ceremony officiated by Minister of Justice Laila Freivalds.[12][13]
List of representatives
| Name | Period | Title | Notes | Presented credentials | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Einar af Wirsén | 24 June 1921 – December 1921 | Chargé d'affaires ad interim | Also in Tallinn. | [14][15] | |
| Torsten Undén | 1921–1928 | Envoy | Also accredited to Tallinn and Kaunas (from 1922). | [16] | |
| Patrik Reuterswärd | 13 June 1928 – 1935 | Envoy | Also accredited to Tallinn and Kaunas. | [17] | |
| Herbert Ribbing | 30 April – 2 June 1929 | Chargé d'affaires ad interim[a] | Also in Tallinn and Kovno. | [18] | |
| Herbert Ribbing | 15 November – 1 December 1929 | Chargé d'affaires ad interim[a] | Also in Tallinn and Kovno. | [18] | |
| Birger Johansson | 1935 – September 1939 | Envoy | Also accredited to Tallinn and Kaunas. | 12 July 1935 | [19][8][20] |
| No head of mission between 1940 and 1991 | |||||
| Lars Fredén | 1991–1991 | Chargé d'affaires | Consul 1989–1991. | [21][22] | |
| Vidar Hellners | 1991–1992 | Ambassador | [23] | ||
| Andreas Ådahl | 1992–1996 | Ambassador | [24] | ||
| Hans Magnusson | 1996–2000 | Ambassador | [25] | ||
| Tomas Bertelman | 2000–2003 | Ambassador | [26] | ||
| Göran Håkansson | 2003–2008 | Ambassador | [27] | ||
| Mats Staffanson | 2008–2013 | Ambassador | [28] | ||
| Henrik Landerholm | 2013–2017 | Ambassador | [29] | ||
| Annika Jagander | 1 September 2017 – 2020 | Ambassador | [30] | ||
| Karin Höglund | September 2020 – 2025 | Ambassador | [31] | ||
| Daniel Olsson | 2025–present | Ambassador | [32] | ||
Gallery
Ambassador Mats Staffanson (2008–2013) with the Speaker of the Saeima Solvita Āboltiņa.
Ambassador Henrik Landerholm (2013–2017) with the Speaker of the Saeima Solvita Āboltiņa.
Ambassador Annika Jagander (2017–2020) with the Speaker of the Saeima Ināra Mūrniece.
Ambassador Karin Höglund (2020–2025) with the Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa.
Ambassador Daniel Olsson (2025–present) with the Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa.
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