Relationship dossier
Bahrain
Sweden
Relationship assessment
A limited bilateral relationship shaped by tax cooperation and Swedish human-rights concerns about Bahrain.
Bahrain toward Sweden
+10Bahrain’s participation in a bilateral tax agreement with Sweden provides a concrete framework for government cooperation. The extent of other Bahraini cooperation with Sweden is unclear.
Sweden toward Bahrain
+5Sweden participates in a bilateral tax agreement with Bahrain and has raised human-rights concerns about the country. The scope of other Swedish government engagement with Bahrain is unclear.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship includes a practical bilateral tax framework, while Swedish criticism concerning human rights in Bahrain is a source of friction. The breadth and durability of cooperation beyond this framework are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bahrain and Sweden maintain a limited but substantive relationship, including a bilateral tax agreement. Sweden has also raised human-rights concerns about Bahrain, contributing to a mixed relationship. The scope of other bilateral cooperation and the extent of Bahrain’s response to Swedish concerns are unclear.
Areas of tension
- Swedish concerns about human rights in Bahrain.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and practical implementation of bilateral agreements are unclear.
- Details of Bahrain’s government engagement with Swedish human-rights concerns are limited.