Foreign and security policy

Sweden’s participation in international crisis management and peace support contributes to upholding and strengthening the rules-based global order and is a priority of Sweden’s national security strategy (SB2017/00106–1). The basic premise of Sweden’s engagement is that security is best built through collaboration and partnership with others.

Developments in Afghanistan are extremely serious. Lives, and the advances made in the last 20 years, are under threat. The Swedish evacuation at Kabul Airport has been completed. Sweden’s commitment to the Afghan people remains steadfast.

At Generation Equality Forum in Paris. Check against delivery.

Discussions on the situation in Russia and how the EU should manage it, along with LGBTIQ issues, dominated the EU summit on 24–25 June. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and other EU leaders also addressed the COVID-19 situation and the economic recovery.

When the EU’s heads of state and government meet in Brussels on 24–25 June, they will discuss the economic situation in the EU, migration and a number of foreign policy issues. They will also look at activities related to COVID-19. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and his colleagues will kick off the summit with a working lunch with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to most countries until 1 September. At the same time, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is lifting the advice against travel to countries and administrative regions that have recently been added to the EU exemption list. As of 24 June, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has lifted the advice against non-essential travel to Albania, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Serbia, the United States, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

On Wednesday 16 June, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will receive Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Mr Löfven and Mr Nausėda will discuss regional security and defence , current EU issues, the situation in Belarus and the Easten Neighborhood, and relations between Sweden and Lithuania, for example with regard to investments, the business climate and people to people contacts.

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 13 June 2021.

With a view to inspiring and influencing Swedish development policy, Minister for International Development Cooperation Per Olsson Fridh will launch an international advisory group for action on the environment, climate and biodiversity in connection with World Environment Day on 5 June. The advisory group will make an important contribution to fine-tuning Sweden’s global engagement in the most affected countries ahead of coming international high level meetings on climate, environment and biodiversity.

The International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752 today issued the following joint statement:

Democracy is worth protecting – every day. The freedom to choose, speak, think and love can never be taken for granted. The same applies to people’s right to exercise influence, vote and be treated equally under the law. Sweden will continue to do all it can to be a strong voice and actor for democratic development in the world. We are now stepping up our efforts to protect democracy.

No country can tackle the world’s challenges alone: wars and conflicts, climate change, poverty, lack of equality, lack of respect for human rights, nuclear weapons proliferation – unfortunately the list is long. International cooperation is vital – and it makes us stronger. Sweden remains a firm and tireless voice for more – not less – cooperation.

Discussions at the special meeting of the European Council on 24 May were dominated by the events in Belarus involving the forced landing of a passenger plane in Minsk to detain a journalist. The EU leaders also discussed the situation in Russia. On 25 May, discussions mainly centred on EU climate action and vaccine coordination.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend the advice against travel introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision means that the advice against non-essential travel to many countries around the world will be extended until 1 July. At the same time, more countries have been removed from the list.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) is responsible for Sweden’s relations with other countries and international organisations, and for development cooperation policy and international trade policy. The MFA together with more than 100 missions abroad make up the Swedish Foreign Service. A mission abroad may be be an embassy, consulate-general, delegation or representation. The MFA is part of the Government Offices and is the largest ministry.

In her role as Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde today hosted a meeting with her Special and Personal Representatives to the protracted conflicts in the region. The representatives are meeting digitally over two days to exchange experiences on conflict resolution and how to make these processes more inclusive.

28 April 2021 Check against delivery.

Today the Government is presenting an extensive investment in global health totalling more than SEK 2.5 billion to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines, prevent and manage the risk of corruption and counter displacement effects on health systems in the world’s poorest countries.

Published 31 March 2021