President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday commended outgoing Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Thunborg for her crucial role in improving Manila and Stockholm’s relations.

“Thank you very much for all that you have done, bringing our two countries closer together,” Marcos told Thunborg who paid a farewell call at Malacañan Palace in Manila.

“I have to once again express our gratitude for the support that you’ve shown to the Philippines in terms of the problems, challenges that we are facing here.”

The Chief Executive said it is important for the Philippines to form an alliance with Sweden, which he said is a friend to the Philippines.

Thunborg told Marcos the importance of forging a strong partnership with like-minded partners, such as the Philippines.

“The pleasure is all ours and it is extremely important in the world we live in today to forge strong partnerships with like-minded partners, so we are happy to see this partnership grow, especially in the last two years,” she said.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Deputy Assistant Secretary Lenna Eilleen De Dios-Sison, and Director Ferdinand Flores of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of the European Affairs were among the Philippine officials present during the farewell call.

Thunborg was appointed as Sweden’s ambassador to the Philippines in 2021.

She is the second Swedish ambassador to be assigned to the Philippines since the embassy reopened in Manila in 2016.

She previously served as Sweden’s ambassador to Mexico and worked with multilateral issues in Geneva, Vienna, and New York where she forged close ties with colleagues from the Philippines.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Sweden were established on Jan. 17, 1947. (PNA)