Vietnam’s new ambassador to Sweden, Pham Thi Kim Hoa, has formally begun her diplomatic mission, pledging to strengthen cooperation in business, technology, education and culture while encouraging the Vietnamese community in Sweden to play a greater role in relations between the two countries.
Ambassador Pham Thi Kim Hoa presented her credentials to King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on 15 October 2026, formally taking up her position as Vietnam’s ambassador to Sweden.
During the audience, the King welcomed the new ambassador and expressed his appreciation for the longstanding friendship between Sweden and Vietnam. He said he hoped bilateral cooperation would continue to expand and deepen during her tenure.
According to the Vietnam News Agency, the ambassador thanked Sweden’s Royal Family, government and people for their historical support for Vietnam, both during the country’s struggle for independence and in its subsequent development.
She pledged to strengthen contacts between government agencies, local authorities, businesses, universities and research institutions in the two countries.
Vietnamese community to play a bridging role
A particular priority identified by the new ambassador is the Vietnamese community in Sweden.
Hoa said she would work to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges while promoting the community’s role in building closer connections between the two countries.
The Vietnamese community in Sweden numbers more than 22,000 people, according to figures previously cited by the Vietnamese Embassy. Community organisations are active in cultural activities, Vietnamese-language education and maintaining connections with Vietnam.
The community also includes Vietnamese professionals and researchers working in Swedish institutions and companies. The Vietnam Science and Technology Experts Association in Sweden, established in 2024, is one example of efforts to connect Vietnamese expertise abroad with Vietnam’s development.
Building on strategic partnership
The ambassador takes up her position at a time when Sweden and Vietnam are seeking to expand their cooperation in science, technology and innovation.
In June 2025, the two countries established a Strategic Partnership in Science, Technology and Innovation during Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Sweden.
The partnership provides a framework for closer cooperation in areas where Sweden has considerable expertise, including technological innovation and sustainable development.
Sweden was the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, on 11 January 1969. The relationship has since developed from development assistance and political cooperation into broader commercial, scientific and educational exchanges.
Before the royal ceremony, Ambassador Hoa presented a copy of her credentials to Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin, Chief of Protocol at Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, on 13 October.
The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed her accreditation on 16 October.
Sources: Vietnam News Agency, Vietnamese diplomatic reporting, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
