Relationship dossier
Egypt
Sweden
Relationship assessment
Egyptian-Swedish ties include diplomatic friction over human rights and Quran burnings.
Egypt toward Sweden
-10Egypt summoned the Swedish ambassador in 2023 to protest Quran burnings in Sweden, a concrete episode of diplomatic friction.
Sweden toward Egypt
-10Sweden supported the 2013 EU decision to suspend export licences for equipment that could be used for internal repression in Egypt.
Overall relationship
0The relationship has functioning diplomatic channels but includes distinct disputes over Sweden's approach to equipment exports for Egypt and Egypt's protests over Quran burnings in Sweden. The known episodes indicate a mixed relationship, while the extent of sustained practical cooperation is 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
Egyptian-Swedish relations include periods of diplomatic friction. Egypt protested Quran burnings in Sweden, including by summoning the Swedish ambassador in 2023. Sweden supported the 2013 EU decision to suspend export licences for equipment that could be used for internal repression in Egypt. These episodes support a mixed assessment, but provide limited insight into the breadth of routine bilateral cooperation.
Areas of tension
- Egypt's protests over Quran burnings in Sweden
- Sweden's support for the 2013 EU suspension of export licences for equipment that could be used for internal repression in Egypt
Key developments
Sweden supported the EU decision to suspend export licences for equipment that could be used for internal repression in Egypt.
Egypt summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest Quran burnings in Sweden.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and continuity of practical government cooperation between Egypt and Sweden are unclear.
- The longer-term effects of Sweden's 2013 EU policy and subsequent diplomatic disputes on bilateral relations are uncertain.