Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations
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The Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations is head of the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in New York City, United States.
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
| Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations | |
|---|---|
 | |
Incumbent since 2024Nicola Clase | |
| Ministry for Foreign Affairs Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations | |
| Style | His or Her Excellency (formal) Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal) |
| Reports to | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Seat | United Nations Headquarters New York City, New York, USA |
| Appointer | |
| Term length |
|
| Formation | 1947 |
| First holder | Herman Eriksson |
| Deputy | Deputy Permanent Representative |
| Website | www |
History
In 1947, Sweden appointed its first permanent representative to the United Nations, Herman Eriksson, who had been the Swedish minister in Washington, D.C. for the previous two years. For long periods, Eriksson served as the sole Swedish delegate during the negotiations. When he later fell ill and required a lengthy period of convalescence, the Swedish government appointed him to the less demanding post of Swedish ambassador in Copenhagen.[1] The UN position was then taken over by Ambassador Gunnar Hägglöf, who was appointed in August 1947.[2]
Olof Rydbeck was appointed permanent representative in 1972. His first major task as UN ambassador was to help complete the preparations for the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972. He strongly advocated for China's participation, a goal that was successfully realized when China was admitted to the UN around the same time. Rydbeck actively supported Sweden's positive stance on this sensitive issue.[3] Another major and controversial topic during his tenure was South Africa's apartheid policy, where his views were met with respect.[3] His talent for achieving compromise proved valuable when, in 1976, he became chairman of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) of General Assembly, which was marked by sharp divisions between industrialized and developing countries. The highlight of Rydbeck's time as head of the Swedish UN delegation came when Sweden gained a seat on the Security Council in 1975–76. He contributed to reforms in the council's working procedures, and Sweden's decisive "yes" vote on the question of granting the PLO the right to speak before the council had significant political impact.[3]
List of permanent representatives
| No. | Portrait | Ambassador | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Prime Minister | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herman Eriksson (1892–1949) | 17 January 1947 | 25 August 1947 | 220 days | Tage Erlander | [1] | |
| 2 | Gunnar Hägglöf (1904–1994) | 1947 | 1948 | 0–1 years | Tage Erlander | [4] | |
| 3 | Sven Grafström (1902–1955) | 26 August 1948 | 1952 | 3–4 years | Tage Erlander | [5] | |
| 4 | Oscar Thorsing (1896–1967) | 1952 | 1956 | 3–4 years | Tage Erlander | [6] | |
| 5 | Gunnar Jarring (1907–2002) | 1956 | 1958 | 1–2 years | Tage Erlander | [7] | |
| 6 | Agda Rössel (1910–2001) | 1958 | 1964 | 5–6 years | Tage Erlander | [8] | |
| 7 | Sverker Åström (1915–2012) | 1964 | 1970 | 5–6 years | Tage Erlander Olof Palme | [9] | |
| - | Olof Rydbeck (1913–1995) Acting | 10 September 1970 | 30 September 1972 | 2 years, 20 days | Olof Palme | [3] | |
| 8 | Olof Rydbeck (1913–1995) | 1 October 1972 | 1976 | 3–4 years | Olof Palme | [3] | |
| 9 | Anders Thunborg (1934–2004) | 1977 | 1983 | 5–6 years | Thorbjörn Fälldin Ola Ullsten Thorbjörn Fälldin Olof Palme | [10] | |
| 10 | Anders Ferm (1938–2019) | 1983 | 1988 | 4–5 years | Olof Palme Ingvar Carlsson | [11] | |
| 11 | Jan Eliasson (born 1940) | 1988 | 1992 | 3–4 years | Ingvar Carlsson Carl Bildt | [12] | |
| 12 | Peter Osvald (born 1939) | 1992 | 1997 | 4–5 years | Carl Bildt Ingvar Carlsson Göran Persson | [13] | |
| 13 | Hans Dahlgren (born 1948) | 1997 | 2000 | 2–3 years | Göran Persson | [14] | |
| 14 | Pierre Schori (born 1938) | 2000 | 2004 | 3–4 years | Göran Persson | - | |
| 15 | Anders Lidén (born 1949) | 2004 | 2010 | 5–6 years | Göran Persson Fredrik Reinfeldt | [15] | |
| 16 | Mårten Grunditz (1949–2015) | 2010 | 2015 | 4–5 years | Fredrik Reinfeldt Stefan Löfven | - | |
| 17 | Olof Skoog (born 1962) | 2015 | 2019 | 3–4 years | Stefan Löfven | [16] | |
| 18 | Anna Karin Eneström (born 1961) | December 2019 | 30 September 2024 | 4–5 years | Stefan Löfven Magdalena Andersson Ulf Kristersson | [17][18] | |
| 19 | Nicola Clase (born 1965) | 2024 | Incumbent | – | Ulf Kristersson | [19] |
![Herman Eriksson [sv]](#/media/File:G_Herman_Eriksson.jpg)
![Oscar Thorsing [sv]](#/media/File:Oscar_Thorsing.jpg)
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List of deputy permanent representatives
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counsellor of Embassy[a] Sven Fredrik Hedin (1923–2004) | May 1964 | 1965 | 0–1 years | [20][21][22] | |
| Minister Carl Johan Rappe (1918–2010) | 1965 | 1967 | 1–2 years | [23][24] | |
| Minister Börje Billner (1915–1972) | 1967 | 1970 | 2–3 years | [25][26] | |
| Ambassador[b] Kaj Sundberg (1924–1993) | 1970 | 1978 | 7–8 years | [27][28] | |
| Ambassador Olov Ternström (1927–2001) | 1978 | 1981 | 2–3 years | [29][30] | |
| Minister Jan Lundvik (born 1933) | 1981 | 1985 | 3–4 years | [31][32] | |
| Ambassador Sten Strömholm (1930–1997) | 1985 | 1989 | 3–4 years | [33][34] | |
| Ambassador Lars-Göran Engfeldt (1944–2025) | 1989 | 1993 | 3–4 years | [35] | |
| Ambassador[c] Henrik Salander (born 1945) | 1993 | 1998 | 4–5 years | [37] | |
| Ambassador Per Norström (born 1947) | 1998 | 2001 | 2–3 years | [38] | |
| Ambassador Inga Eriksson Fogh (born 1950) | 2001 | 2004 | 2–3 years | [39] | |
| Ambassador Ulla Ström (born 1942) | 2004 | 2008 | 3–4 years | [40] | |
| Minister Per Örneus (born 1962) | 2008 | 2010 | 1–2 years | [15] | |
| Ambassador Signe Burgstaller (born 1965) | September 2010 | 2014 | 3–4 years | [41] | |
| Ambassador Per Thöresson (born 1962) | 2014 | 2016 | 1–2 years | [42] | |
| Ambassador Carl Skau (born 1977) | September 2016 | 2017 | 0–1 years | [43] | |
| Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni (born 1969) | 2017 | 2019 | 1–2 years | [44] | |
| Ambassador Anna Karin Eneström (born 1961) | 2019 | December 2019 | – | [17] | |
| Ambassador Magnus Lennartsson (born 1961) | March 2020 | September 2023 | 2–3 years | [45][46] | |
| Ambassador Andreas von Uexküll (born 1971) | 2023 | Incumbent | – | [47] |
