Embassy of Sweden Abu Dhabi, News
March 2024 - Sweden's accession to NATO
In conjunction with Sweden’s accession to NATO on the 7th March, Ambassador Fredrik Florén was interviewed by The National along with his colleague the Finnish Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä. Ambassador Florén emphasised that the Swedish accession marked a historic step wherein Sweden ended more than 200 years of military non-alignment. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was an irreversible turning point, for Swedish, European, and global security. Sweden’s membership of NATO is a direct result of this illegal, unprovoked, and indefensible war of aggression. For the first time in 500 years, all the five Nordic countries will have a common defence. Together with the Baltic countries, we are all united in an alliance whose expressed purpose is to preserve peace and freedom. With Sweden in NATO, Sweden will be safer, and NATO will be stronger. NATO is a defensive alliance, and Sweden’s solidarity-based alliance policy has a stabilising effect.
Apart from discussing Sweden’s accession to NATO the interview covered several topics such as Sweden’s bilateral relations with the UAE, and trade between Sweden and the UAE.
Read full interview here.
The Ambassador of Sweden Mr Fredrik Florén and the Ambassador of Finland Mrs Tuula Yrjölä.
Photo by: Antonie Robertson - The National
7 March 2024 - Letter of credence
On the 7th March Ambassador Fredrik Florén presented his letter of credence to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, as the Ambassador of Sweden to the United Arab Emirates in a formal audience at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi. Following the ceremony Ambassador Florén expressed his honour of being received by the President and expressed his enthusiasm to further deepen the excellent relations between Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
Ambassador of Sweden Fredrik Florén and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates
25 February 2024 - Swedish Minister at the WTO Summit in Abu Dhabi
In conjunction with the WTO MC13 summit, Mr. Johan Forssell, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, visited the UAE 25-26th of February. During his visit, the minister held a bilateral meeting with his UAE counterpart H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, where the ministers discussed outstanding issues on the MC13 agenda as well as the potential for increased trade and business relations between Sweden and the UAE.
Furthermore, Ambassador-Designate Fredrik Florén hosted a dinner reception in honour of Mr. Johan Forssell. At the reception, he also had the privilege of welcoming the Swedish delegation for MC13 and Swedish business representatives in the UAE. The event saw valuable participation from leading Swedish companies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, alongside the Swedish Trade and Invest Council Business Sweden and Swedish Business Council in the UAE (SBC). Attendees had an enriching opportunity to engage in discussions about business, as well as free and sustainable trade, where Mr. Forssell had the opportunity to listen to the opportunities and challenges facing Swedish companies in the UAE and the region.
Mr. Forssell also took the opportunity to present the Swedish government’s new trade strategy, which centers around three overarching objectives:
Strengthening Sweden’s competitiveness by improving conditions for trade, investment, and innovation.
Increasing the exports and international presence of Swedish businesses.
Strengthening Sweden’s position as a prioritised partner in the green and digital transitions.
Fredrik Florén and Johan Forssell.
Johan Forssell and H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoud, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates.
February 2024 - Active outreach campaign to visit Swedish Companies in the UAE
The embassy, led by Ambassador-Designate Fredrik Florén, has started an active outreach campaign by conducting several visits to Swedish companies in the UAE, which will continue throughout the spring. These visits enable the embassy to engage with Swedish businesses, whereby we can learn how to jointly promote Swedish businesses in the UAE. Swedish companies provide invaluable support to the work done by the embassy by representing Sweden, and Swedish trade and innovation. Follow the Embassy of Sweden on LinkedIn.
7th December 2023 - Team Sweden at COP28 in Dubai
The UN climate conference COP28 started on Thursday 30 November in Dubai.
During the first two weeks of December politicians, companies and organizations will discuss how to address the climate crisis. COP meetings take place annually and follow-up the 2015 Paris Agreement. Participants are countries that have adopted the UN climate convention, including the target to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will participate during the first two days of the conference. He will attend the official inauguration and opening ceremony, deliver Sweden’s national statement and meet other world leaders.
On the 4th of December Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Johan Forssell arrived in Dubai for an intensive programme at COP28. Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch will also attend the COP 28 and among other things participate in thematic meetings about health, gender equality, energy and industry on 5 December. Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari will participate in the second week of COP28 during its final negotiations.
Climate Ambassador Mattias Frumerie is the Swedish chief negotiator for the UN Climate Convention. He leads a delegation that also consists of representatives from the Ministry of Climate and Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Agency, SMHI, Sida, the Forest Agency and the Board of Agriculture. Representatives from the Parliament, the Sami Parliament and two youth delegates will also attend the COP.
Business Sweden will host a Swedish pavilion, with around 20 participating companies and Team Sweden actors. The companies' presence will amplify the Swedish message of urgency and opportunity. The pavilion will host many inspiring events focusing on innovation, technology exchange and joint development through business partnerships.
The EU is a global leader on climate action and negotiates in the COP as a united block. Sweden is a driving force for an ambitious EU negotiating position. According to the EU's plan to increase the pace of climate change "Fit for 55", all member states will work towards a common goal of reducing the EU’s total emissions by 55% by 2030. Sweden also contributes to advancing the climate negotiations through bilateral meetings and public events. Sweden prioritizes an efficient and rapid phasing out of fossil fuels, accelerating the global climate transition and the global stocktake of climate work.
Link to the Swedish Pavilion: https://invitepeople.com/public/events/db7b2e376a/pages/fd92a40c32
H.E. Fredrik Floren, Ambassador-Designate of Sweden and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden and Sultan Al-Jaber, President of COP28
5th October 2023 - New Swedish Ambassador
Ambassador Fredrik Floren at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi
The new Swedish Ambassador Fredrik Floren has now joined the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and we look forward to his upcoming accreditation. Fredrik Floren has a 25 year long career in the Swedish Foreign Service with postings at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm and abroad.
Previously, he served as the Swedish Ambassador to Tunisia and Libya for five years – he reopened the Swedish Embassy in Tunis in 2016. Most of his diplomatic career has been dedicated to Sweden’s relations to the Middle East and North Africa.
The last few years, he has served as Ambassador at MFA’s Department for consular affairs and at the Department of Europe and North America in Stockholm with responsibility for trade-, investment- and Sweden promotion. Prior to these positions, he worked at the Swedish Embassy in Havana and at the OSCE-delegation in Vienna. Fredrik Floren is married and has two children. The family will join him in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of next year.
6th June 2023 - Sweden’s National Day Celebration
On June 6, the Swedish Embassy in Abu Dhabi hosted a reception with more than 400 guests to celebrate Sweden’s National Day. The ceremony was attended by guest of honour H.E Ayesha Al Suwaidi, Director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the honourable members of the Federal National Council, H.E Maryam bin Theneya and H.E Mera Al Suwaidi as well as many other officials, the diplomatic corps, Swedish companies, local partners, and friends of Sweden.
This year is a very special year for Sweden as it is a double jubilee year! It is exactly 500 years ago since Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden. This year also marks 50 years since His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden ascended the throne, and he is today the longest reigning monarch in Swedish history. This double jubilee year will be celebrated all around Sweden throughout the year.
There was an exciting program lined up for the guests to celebrate Sweden's rich culture and history. They were able to explore the captivating exhibition called 'Pioneer the Possible'. This exhibition, along with the corporate product displays, showcased the remarkable achievements and innovations that have shaped Sweden's industrial and innovative journey. The guests were also able to enjoy food inspired by the Swedish Cuisine and Swedish music -from ABBA to Loreen!
The many sponsors, the Swedish Business Council, Business Sweden and Swedish Ladies, all important actors of ‘’Team Sweden’’ here in the UAE, made this event possible!
Happy National Day! #Sweden500
1 Sept 2022 - Deputy Head of Mission Ola Pihlblad joins the Embassy of Sweden in Abu Dhabi
Ola Pihlblad, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden, Abu Dhabi
Welcome to Abu Dhabi and UAE! How do you like it here so far?
Thank you! I have only been here a few weeks so far but it’s really nice here and the people I have met have been really friendly. My new colleagues at the Embassy have made me feel at home and I’m looking forward to forging new bonds with the Swedish community in the country and also with UAE counterparts and the diplomatic community. And, of course, my wife and I are also looking forward to settling in in our new apartment which will happen later in September.
Where have you worked before coming to Abu Dhabi?
Prior to Abu Dhabi I was in Kuala Lumpur for five years where I served as Deputy Head of Mission. Just like in the UAE, business and cultural promotion are high on the Embassy agenda in Malaysia. I have previously worked at various departments at the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm, including the Consular and Protocol departments, and also served in Luxembourg, Pyongyang and Lisbon.
What is the role of the Deputy Head of Mission and what will your priorities and tasks be at the Embassy?
In my role as Deputy Head of Mission I will support the Ambassador and together head the team and lead the operation. If the Ambassador is out of the country, I will be Chargé d’Affaires and represent the Embassy. I will pay special attention to following political developments in the country and the region, and of course furthering the bilateral relations between our two countries. I should also mention that the Embassy also covers Kuwait and Bahrain.
Tomas Eneroth with Marie Eck, Swedish Expo Pavilion
9 February 2022 - Visit by H.E. Minister for Infrastructure of Sweden
H.E. Tomas Eneroth, Swedish Minister for Infrastructure visited the United Arab Emirates and during Travel & Connectivity week at Expo 2020 Dubai.
During his visit he met with DP World, Emirates Airline, Dubai Police and the Deputy Minister of Energy, Infrastructure and Transport affairs. Meetings were held together with Swedish companies here in the UAE, among other engagements, such as panel discussions and visits to other pavilions.
“It is really important for Sweden to be here despite the pandemic because we are an export-oriented industrial nation. We are heavily depending on to export not only cars or trucks but mining, life-science products. Sweden is depending on world trade, so of course it is very important to be here. I must say I’m proud of the pavilion, I am from Småland a part of southern Sweden were we have a lot of forest and of course coming in to this place where everything is breathing tree natural materials and the possibility that we can use wooden technology for both making clothes or making Bio-fuels or produce furniture or build houses, so I think the Swedish pavilion has shown that Sweden is a country that can use its own recourses to make the world a little bit better” Says Minister for Infrastructure, H.E. Tomas Eneroth.
27 Dec 2021 - New opening and phone hours
Following the UAE Government decision to move its weekend to Saturday and Sunday which will come into effect as from January 1, 2022.
Please check the Embassy new working and phone hours here
15 Sept 2021 - New Ambassador, Ms Liselott Andersson
Ms. Liselott Andersson, the Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE , presented her letter of credence to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in a formal audience at Qasr Al Watan Palace.
“I am honored to convey my letter of credence on behalf of His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden and I am looking forward to further deepening the relations between the UAE and Sweden” says Ambassador Liselott Andersson.
“Today, we are 15 days away from the solemn opening of Expo 2020 Dubai . I am looking forward to the inauguration of the Swedish Pavilion ‘The Forest’ in the Sustainability District. The pavilion is built entirely out of wood, saving thousands of tons of carbon dioxide compared to other materials. Its theme is ‘Co-Creation for Innovation’, showcasing how we can develop better and more sustainable solutions by working together. Sustainability and innovation are areas, I see great potential to further explore in close cooperation with the UAE and I see the Expo and our strong participation as an important building block in broadening and deepening our exchange.”
Ms Liselott Andersson, Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
6 June 2021 - Are you ready to become Swedish?
’’Are you ready to become Swedish?’’ The Embassy on Abu Dhabi have produced a National Day Campaign together with influencers Deema Bayyaa, Yasmin Yousri, NourAldin Youssef, Jacob Abrian and Ahmed Elsayed. This campaign has been sponsored by H&M, BloomR, IKEA, Spotify, Smorrebrod and Vitamin Well.
On June 6, the Swedish Institute and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi broadcasted a show to celebrate Sweden’s National Day. The programme consists of performances by Swedish music stars like José González, international music sensation Léon and the supergroup Amason. The programme featured as well special National Day greeting by Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess and Her Family, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde and Swedish Ambassador to the UAE Henrik Landerholm and short features of Swedish people and cook-a-longs.
8 March 2021 - Embassy of Sweden celebrates the International Women’s Day
To celebrate International Women's Day, the Embassy of Sweden in Abu Dhabi organized a social media campaign to create visibility and draw attention to Swedish / Emirati / Arab women living in the UAE. The campaign was divided into two activities starting on March 8th and ending on March 12th.
Arab women with Swedish national team jerseys
The embassy engaged a team of ten influential Emirati and Arab women in the UAE to wear the Swedish national team jersey with the print of an inspiring quote from successful women.
The campaign was inspired by the Swedish women's national football team, which in 2017 attracted media attention when they wore national team jerseys with printed quotes from prominent women.
Special thanks to our sponsor the Swedish Table Tennis Organization, and our participants Aida AlBusaidy, Mariam Al Blooshi, Noura Alblooki, Nouf Omar, Saana Azzam, Jumana Al Darwish, Deema Bayyaa, Nina Zandnia, Samar Alshorafa, Hiba Balfaqih
The campaign reached a total of 2 million people with 64,000 likes on the posts alone, and was highlighted in Emirati and Swedish newspapers:
WAM- Emirats News Agency
Sundsvalls tidning
Women's Health Campaign
The embassy has in collaboration with doctor Deema Salem recorded a Q&A about Women’s health. Dr Deema is known for ‘debunking myths about women’s health’, this was a great opportunity for our Instagram followers to ask any questions related to that. Watch the Q&A on our Instagram
Click on image to read more on Instagram
11 February 2021 - Embassy of Sweden and UNICEF celebrates the International day for Women and Girls in Science
Click on image to read more on Twitter
On the 11th February it was the International Day of Women and Girls in Science – a day dedicated to achieving full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls.
Women and girls play a critical role in science and technology all over the world. This has been made evident by the role of women researchers and health care workers in the fight against COVID-19. While barriers still exist, some countries have made remarkable progress in terms of women and girls’ participation in STEM- related fields. In the United Arab Emirates, the number of female students pursuing STEM education sometime outnumber the male colleagues and women hold management positions in STEM-related fields in both the private and governmental sector.
The Embassy of Sweden in Abu Dhabi and UNICEF celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science by publishing a joint statement and a collage of women working in STEM-related fields in the UAE. The purpose of the campaign was to recognize the achievements of a few women contributing to various scientific fields in the United Arab Emirates.
18 January 2021 - SWEDEN HOSTS EVENT ON THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
On 18 January, the Embassy in Abu Dhabi hosted a side event to the 13th Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit on the Impact of the pandemic on Migrant Workers in the Middle East. Speakers at the event included the ministers responsible for employment of the UAE and the Philippines, H.E. Nasser Thani al Hamli and H.E. Silvestre Bello, as well as the Regional Director for the International Labour Organization (ILO), Dr. Ruba Jaradat, and the secretary-generals of the International Organization of Employers (IOE), Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) and the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF).
The purpose of the side event was to facilitate a constructive and inclusive dialogue bringing together the perspectives of state actors and international organisations representing both employers and workers.
In connection with the event, the Embassy produced a video together with an external producer.
11 January 2021 - Swedish delegation to the UAE, Site visit to the Swedish Pavilion and Women Executive Forum
On 9 and 10 December a Swedish delegation led by H.E Krister Nilsson, State Secretary to Anna Hallberg, Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs visited Dubai.
H.E Krister Nilsson’s visit to the United Arab Emirates was his first visit since the outbreak of Covid-19, as a token of UAEs importance to Sweden by emphasizing Sweden’s commitment to Expo2020.
A bilateral meeting was held with H.E Mariam Al Mheiri Minister of State for Food & Water Security in the United Arab Emirates, focusing on enhancing cooperation between Sweden and the UAE on advancing food and water security. Followed by technical meeting with Abu Dhabi Investment Office - introducing the virtual delegation joining from Sweden.
H.E. Krister Nilsson also met with H.E Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, discussing Sweden’s commitment to the Expo 2020. H.E Nilsson highlighted that Sweden sees Expo 2020 as a key element in the restart of the global economy after the pandemic. Expo 2020 provides an opportunity both to promote Swedish businesses and Swedish core values, such as human rights, gender equality, multilateralism and sustainability, on a global stage.
H.E Krister Nilsson, State Secretary and H.E Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau
Swedish pavilion – The Forest
Site visit to the Swedish Pavilion
The Swedish delegation also visited the Swedish pavilion – The Forest – and the ongoing work to finalize the pavilion.
Showing the very best of Swedish innovation, Sweden’s pavilion comprises a total area of around 2,700 sq. m. It includes a general exhibition section, a closed conference area, a shop and a café as well as office and staff areas.
Women Executive Forum
H.E.Nilsson additionally met Swedish companies in United Arab Emirates in a Breakfast Business Briefing, led by Business Sweden. This was followed by Women Executive Forum in cooperation with Dubai Women’s Forum and the Swedish Institute. The Forum included talks about Sweden’s Feminist Trade policy and explains why gender equality is such a central topic and a priority in the Swedish Government.
Woman Executive Forum in cooperation with Dubai Women's Forum and the Swedish Institute. By the Embassy of Swedish in the UAE
20 October 2020 - Inauguration Day of Expo2020
October 20th was the planned Inauguration Day of Expo2020. The Swedish Pavilion “The Forest” is almost ready making it possible for the Swedish Ambassador Henrik Landerholm to visit the site for a sneak preview of the building together with a smaller delegation consisting of Business Sweden and Swedish partner companies. The purpose of the visit was to follow up with the progress of the construction and to give our partners a chance to see the pavilion in the finishing stage. We are proud of the amazing work our colleagues have accomplished so far, and we are looking forward to see the final result very soon.
10 September 2020- Consular services in Dubai
The Embassy extends some of its consular services to Dubai. To make it easier for Swedish citizens living in Dubai, the embassy offers consular service every Thursday from 10:00 am to 14:00 hours at Business Sweden office in Dubai (Address: Concord Tower 26th Floor, Office 2607, Dubai Media City). The service started on Thursday 10th of September and will continue till the travel restrictions to Abu Dhabi are eased. The Embassy accepts applications for coordination numbers, legalizations and collection of renewed passports.
For more info contact the Embassy.
6th May 2020 - Record year for Swedish Export to the UAE
2019 was a record year for Swedish exports to the UAE! Products worth more than 8.8 billion SEK were exported from Sweden to the UAE, an increase of 63 percent from 2018. The largest export categories were machines, ICT equipment, iron ore and chemicals. More info on the record export year can be found on Kommerskollegiums webpage.
The Embassy has had two very intensive months focusing on consular affairs and support to Swedish citizens and residents. Peak effort was on 7 April when a Nordic special flight was organized to Stockholm via Helsinki, carrying 223 passengers including 121 Swedes, 47 Finns, 18 Norwegians, 15 Danes and three Icelanders. Throughout the Corona crisis, the embassy has remained open and has even increased its opening and passport application hours to support the Swedish community.
As the Corona situation hopefully stabilizes, the Embassy is gradually shifting its operations to reflect a new reality where physical interaction likely will be limited. We are looking forward to re-start our business and export promotion efforts together with Team Sweden in the UAE, i.e. the Swedish business community, Business Sweden and the Swedish Business Council. Please contact any of us with ideas on how we can continue the strong Swedish export trend in the UAE.