Activities of Secretary-General in Sweden, 20-23 April

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres travelled from New York on Friday, 20 April, to Sweden for an annual retreat with the Security Council and an official visit to the country.

On Saturday, 21 April, the Secretary-General arrived in Backåkra, on the estate of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld.  Along with the 15 ambassadors of the Security Council, he received a guided tour of the estate led by Elinor Hammarskjöld and Professor Peter Wallensteen.

Following a group photo, the Secretary-General addressed the press with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven.  He expressed his deep gratitude to the Government of Sweden for organizing the event, saying that the venue was highly symbolic, and stressed the need for the Council to overcome contradictions and differences.

The following day, after concluding his retreat in Backåkra, the Secretary‑General travelled to Uppsala, where he laid a wreath at the grave of Dag Hammarskjöld and held a bilateral meeting with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

The Secretary-General then gave the 2018 2018 Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture at Uppsala Castle, during which he described the former Secretary-General as his reference and inspiration:  a man of action, an extremely sophisticated diplomat and a man of culture.

On Monday, 23 April, the Secretary-General held a bilateral meeting at the National Library of Sweden, in Stockholm, with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

During a joint press conference, the Secretary-General said that the Security Council had had two days of very constructive discussions in Sweden, which helped to cool matters down and help Council members to move forward.

The Secretary-General then left Sweden for New York, where he arrived on Monday afternoon.