Sweden will remain fully engaged in support of dialogue and confidence building and will support a ‘mutually acceptable, sustainable and comprehensive solution’ to the Cyprus problem based on international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and EU principles, Sweden’s new Ambassador to Cyprus, Henrik Cederin, said on Wednesday.
Presenting his credentials to the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at the Presidential Palace, Cederin said that the Swedish Embassy in Nicosia would continue to facilitate the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, which is now in its 18th year, by engaging with Cyprus’ religious leaders committed to working together for ‘human rights, peace and reconciliation.’
He also referred to the upcoming centenary of the Swedish Archaeological Expedition to Cyprus, noting that the excavations that began in 1927.
‘The Swedish Cyprus Expedition (1927-1931) established a solid basis for our good relations already 100 years ago and it continues to serve as a platform for the further strengthening of the links between our two countries and peoples,’ he said.
Cederin said Sweden and Cyprus, as EU member states, shared a responsibility to ‘further reinforce the workings of the Union as well to strengthen its standing in the world’, adding that their joint commitments and mutual solidarity provided a solid foundation for bilateral ties and cooperation. He also congratulated Cyprus on its recently concluded Presidency of the Council of the EU.
He said there was potential for further exchanges between Swedish and Cypriot companies as well as people-to-people contacts, with cooperation capable of being expanded in areas including sustainable development and green growth, water management, gender equality and education.
Cederin also referred to the 28,000 Swedes who have served with the United Nations in Cyprus since 1964 and to the roughly 150,000 Swedish tourists who visit the island each year.
Considerable potential in bilateral relations says the President
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Receiving Cederin’s credentials, President Christodoulides said Cyprus and Sweden shared a relationship based on ‘long-standing friendship, mutual respect and a common commitment to European principles and values’, noting that diplomatic relations were established in 1960.
‘Yet, as strong as these foundations are, I believe that our partnership holds considerable untapped potential’, he said.
He called for greater political dialogue and high-level contacts, as well as a fresh impetus to economic relations.
‘Our growing trade and investment ties provide a firm foundation, and the notable rise in Cypriot exports to Sweden in recent years is an encouraging indication of the great opportunities that lie ahead,’ he said.
The President also identified sustainable development, green growth and water management as areas in which Sweden’s experience could be particularly valuable to Cyprus.
Tourism was described by President Christodoulides as one of the ‘most cherished links’ between the two peoples. He recalled Sweden’s support for the revival of tourism in Cyprus following the Turkish invasion of 1974, noting that more than 153,000 Swedish visitors travelled to Cyprus in 2025.
Referring to the Swedish Cyprus Expedition of 1927-1931, the President said the approaching centenary in 2027 offered a unique opportunity to celebrate the shared heritage and further strengthen cultural ties.
He also expressed Cyprus’ appreciation for Sweden’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus, noting that approximately 28,000 Swedish military and police personnel served in UNFICYP between 1964 and 1993.
Turning to the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides reiterated that it remained ‘our foremost national priority’, with the objective being the resumption of meaningful negotiations leading to a ‘comprehensive and viable settlement’ in line with international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and EU principles and values.
‘In pursuing this objective, we greatly value Sweden’s steadfast support for the UN-led process and its consistent commitment to dialogue, reconciliation and confidence-building. Sweden’s contribution has extended beyond words to practical initiatives that seek to bring the two communities closer together,” he said. He referred particularly to the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the auspices of the Swedish Embassy in Nicosia.
The President expressed confidence that Cederin’s tenure would provide an opportunity to deepen relations and open new avenues of cooperation between Cyprus and Sweden, and asked him to convey his ‘warmest greetings’ and a message of ‘sincere friendship and solidarity’ to King Carl XVI Gustaf and the Swedish people.