Liberia: Sweden, Liberia Celebrate 65 Years of Friendship

 

 

Liberia and Sweden are celebrating 65 years of friendship this year. 

The two countries have a long history of cooperation, dating back to 1958, when Sweden established diplomatic ties here, followed by a major investment in the Liberian mining industry. In recent years, Sweden has also been a major donor to Liberia’s peacebuilding and development efforts.

“Liberia and Sweden have a strong and mutually beneficial relationship,” Liberian President George Weah told hundreds of guests who gathered at the Executive Pavilion in Monrovia on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, to celebrate Sweden’s 500th year of nationhood. The event, organized by the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia, coincided with the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

The double celebration event brought together government officials, dignitaries from foreign missions and international agencies, civil society actors, journalists, members of the private sector, and other well-wishers. At the Executive Pavilion, where the celebration was held, the Swedish Embassy put on a rich display that is an amalgam of its partnership with Liberia. These included civil society organizations supported by Sweden, as well as private sector partners from the commercial and social enterprise arenas. 

Sentiments shared during the 65th anniversary of Liberia and Sweden’s friendship highlighted the strong bonds between the two countries and reaffirmed each other’s commitment to working together to build a better future for all Liberians. 

“We are grateful for Sweden’s support over the years, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the years to come,” President Weah said. 

Sweden’s Ambassador to Liberia, Urban Sjöström, echoed President Weah's sentiments. “Sweden is proud of our close relationship with Liberia,” he said. “We are committed to working with Liberia to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future for all Liberians.”

The two countries have a number of areas of cooperation, including peacebuilding, trade and investment, and development. 

Sweden has provided over US$500 million in funding for Liberia’s development efforts since 2003. This funding has supported programs such as education, health, and agriculture. Sweden has also supported Liberia’s efforts to promote good governance, gender equality, and environmental protection.

As a major trading partner of Liberia, Swedish companies are investing in a number of sectors in Liberia, including mining, agriculture, and renewable energy. In 2022, the value of trade between the two countries was over US$100 million. 

In peacebuilding, Sweden has been a major donor to Liberia’s peacebuilding efforts, providing over US$100 million in funding for Liberia's peacebuilding efforts since 2003. This funding has supported programs such as security sector reform, demobilization and reintegration, and rule of law. Sweden has also provided training and technical assistance to Liberian security forces and civil society organizations. 

At 500 years young, Sweden has a long and rich history, leading the world in many areas, including democracy, human rights, and environmental protection.

One of the most important events in Swedish history was the election of Gustav Vasa as king in 1523. Vasa led Sweden to independence from Denmark and Norway, and he also laid the foundations for the country’s strong democratic institutions.

In the 18th century, Sweden made major advances in government reform. In 1766, Sweden became the first country in the world to write freedom of expression into its constitution. This was followed by the introduction of parliamentarism in 1917 and universal suffrage for women in 1921.

Today, Sweden is a prosperous and peaceful country with a high standard of living. As a global leader in environmental protection, Sweden became the first country in the world to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases in 2018.

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