Colombia–Sweden relations

Colombia–Sweden relations

Colombia
Sweden
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Colombia in StockholmEmbassy of Sweden in Bogotá

Colombia–Sweden relations are the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Colombia and the Kingdom of Sweden. Both governments have maintained relations since the 19th century.

History

Relations between the two countries were formally established on 11 December 1874.[1] In 1929, a trade treaty was signed that is still in force today.[2] Sweden was an important player in the Colombian peace process.

During the 1950s–70s, several Swedish diplomats encountered dramatic and sometimes tragic events while in Colombia. In June 1959, the Swedish ambassador Torsten Brandel and the American air attaché Gerald W. Crabbe were attacked by highway robbers during a car trip 40 km from Bogotá. Their car was stopped by a truck that had been placed across the road, and men from the truck surrounded the diplomats. While Crabbe kept the men at bay with his pistol, Brandel managed to turn the car around and drive away. No one was injured.[3] On 11 July 1965, the Swedish ambassador Hugo Ärnfast died under mysterious circumstances. Officially, it was said that he had slipped in his boat during a fishing trip and drowned.[4] In January 1972, a Swedish tour guide who had fled to Colombia with a quarter of a million kronor died. The police considered it a suicide.[4] On 17 July 1972, the 29-year-old embassy secretary Kjell Hägglöf was murdered in central Bogotá while attempting to sell his car. In the days leading up to his death, Hägglöf had been tasked with assisting the Swedish journalist Karl Staf, who had been arrested a week earlier in a raid against the guerrilla organization FARC.[5]

High-level visits

High-level visits from Colombia to Sweden[6]

Bilateral agreements

Both countries have signed several bilateral agreements such as a Treaty of conciliation between the government of Colombia and the government of Sweden (1927); Treaty for the development of commercial relations between the government of Colombia and the government of Sweden (1928); Agreement on Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation between the Republic of Colombia and the Kingdom of Sweden (1989); Agreement between the government of the Republic of Colombia and the government of the Kingdom of Sweden authorising family members who are part of the household of members of a diplomatic mission or consular office or a mission to an international organisation to carry out paid activities (2004); Letter of intent between the Republic of Colombia and the Swedish Space Corporation and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (2024); Memorandum of Understanding - Smart Mobility, Aviation Technologies and Road Safety (2024); Memorandum of Understanding - Sustainable and Innovative Mining Cooperation (2024); Memorandum of Understanding - Political Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden (2024) and a Joint Declaration on Bilateral Partnership Sweden - Colombia (2024).[1][7]

Economic relations

Colombia exported products to Sweden worth 34 thousand dollars, the main products being coal, coffee and bananas in 2019. Meanwhile, Sweden exported products to Colombia worth 149 thousand dollars, the main products being machinery, and from the automotive and chemical sectors, also in 2019.[8]

In 2022, Colombia exported $84.2M to Sweden. The products exported from Colombia to Sweden were made up of Coke ($33.4M), Coffee ($21.8M), and Ferroalloys ($13.1M). Sweden exported $209M to Colombia. The products exported from Sweden to Colombia included Cars ($27.4M), Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($17.8M), and Packaged Medicaments ($15.6M).[9]

Diplomatic representation

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Reino de Suecia". Cancillería de Colombia. 12 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Tratado para el desarrollo de las relaciones comerciales entre Colombia y Suecia" (PDF). Dian.
  3. ^ "Ambassadörens fisketur" [The ambassador's fishing trip]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1959-06-07. p. 16A. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Gerilla opererar i hela Colombia" [Guerrillas operate throughout Colombia]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1972-07-19. p. 3. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Bilaffärer var täckmantel för Kjell Hägglöfs mördare" [Car dealerships were a cover for Kjell Hägglöf's murderer]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1972-07-19. p. 3. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Embajada ante el Gobierno del Reino de Suecia" [Embassy to the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden]. suecia.embajada.gov.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Instrumentos y Acuerdos suscritos entre Colombia y Suecia" [Instruments and Agreements signed between Colombia and Sweden]. suecia.embajada.gov.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Perfil de Suecia". Ministerio de Industria y Comercio (Colombia).
  9. ^ "Colombia (COL) and Sweden (SWE) Trade". The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  10. ^ "Embajada de Colombia en Estocolmo, Suecia". EmbassyPages. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Embajada de Suecia en Bogotá, Colombia". EmbassyPages. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
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