International development cooperation

Sweden’s Government has approved support to the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF IV/IDB Lab). Sweden will contribute a maximum of USD 3.35 million (approximately SEK 37 million) in the fourth replenishment of the MIF. MIF/IDB Lab is an entity within the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), focused on the private sector. The Investment Fund focuses on the development of small businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean. These new funds will contribute to investments within private sector development, innovation, climate, equality, women’s economic empowerment and migration.

Sweden is and will remain one of the world’s most generous donors of international climate finance. Swedish climate aid will be expanded and streamlined. With its substantial contribution in 2022, Sweden played a significant role in achieving the goal of USD 100 billion per year in global climate finance. Sweden’s contribution to international climate finance is at the core of its climate policy. International climate finance will contribute to both emissions reductions and climate adaptation.

Ukraine’s closer ties with the EU promote the country’s development and contribute to security and stability throughout Europe. Sweden is a committed and long-term partner in this integration process and supports Ukraine on its path towards EU membership.

Sweden has announced its contribution of SEK 8 billion to the UN Green Climate Fund (GCF), making the country one of the largest donors. Through the GCF, low- and middle-income countries can receive support to implement climate investments for reduced emissions and protect their societies against climate change by taking adaptation measures.

In connection with the COP29 climate change conference, Sweden is announcing a contribution to a new fund that aims to help particularly vulnerable countries manage climate-related loss and damage (the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage). The Fund is under the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Today, October 29, at a meeting in the cooperation format between the Nordic Ministers for Foreign Affairs (N5) there was an exchange of views with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic forces in exile, on the situation in Belarus and on how best to support the Belarusian democratic movement.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences – both military and humanitarian. The Swedish Government is therefore supporting Ukraine in a number of ways and has now decided on a new humanitarian support package of SEK 110 million. This support will primarily be used to meet the increased needs ahead of the winter.

Within the framework for previously military aid packages to Ukraine the Swedish Government will allocate financial support of EUR 63 million or approximately SEK 720 million to Ukraine. The financial contribution will cover EUR 20 million in support to Ukraine’s industrial base. This is based on a Danish model that aims to support procurements from Ukrainian industry in line with Ukraine’s proposals. The Government also intends to allocate approximately EUR 43 million in financial support to a number of multilateral initiatives to support Ukraine.

On 17–18 October, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima visited Sweden to enhance cooperation in trade and investment, regional security and global issues. Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard hosted the visit, which is an important step in strengthening the ties between the countries – not least by exploring new opportunities for cooperation in business and innovation.

The Government has adopted a new strategy for Sweden’s global development cooperation on migration, returns and voluntary repatriation. The strategy comprises SEK 3 billion for the period 2024–2028 and is part of governing Sweden’s development assistance to strengthen synergies between migration policy and development assistance policy.

Joint donor statement on Humanitarian Access in Sudan by the UK, USAID, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada and the European Commissioner for Crisis Management.

Sweden’s strategy for peace, security and stabilisation is a part of the governance of Sweden’s collective development, foreign and security policy. This strategy will contribute to conflict management and conflict prevention with a view to improving development opportunities and reducing humanitarian needs.

The Government has decided to instruct Sida to increase transparency in development assistance. The aim is to increase the Swedish population’s insight into how their tax funds are being spent.

Sweden is an active force for child and maternal care, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and other health care around the world. Support to health care in Ukraine, access to SRHR, and fundamental health and vaccination campaigns are important focus areas. Cooperation with civil society is also being strengthened. The annual development assistance for health report, published today, 11 October, outlines all of this and much more.

In 2023,Sweden’s development assistance for health totalled approximately SEK 5.7 billion. Support to health care in Ukraine, access to SRHR, and fundamental health and vaccination campaigns are important focus areas.

The military escalation in Lebanon has had major humanitarian consequences. Sweden is therefore increasing its humanitarian support to Lebanon by a total of SEK 83.5 million. The support will be divided between the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Lebanese Red Cross, Save the Children and the UN Lebanon Humanitarian Fund.

This strategy aims to support actors working for more stable, democratic and sustainable development in the Middle East and North Africa, including in Yemen and Palestine. The strategy applies from 21 March 2024 to 31 December 2027 and provides a total of approximately SEK 2.3 billion.

The Government is setting aside an additional SEK 25 million to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. This humanitarian support is being disbursed to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the humanitarian operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). An estimated 25 million people are in need of humanitarian support in Sudan in the midst of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

National Statement at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) delivered by Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard on behalf of Sweden. New York, September 2024. Check against delivery.

The Government has decided to advance its allocations to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). This comes as humanitarian needs are increasing while these organisations’ life-saving activities are severely underfunded. Sweden is therefore augmenting its 2024 support by SEK 461 million, of which SEK 186 million will be allocated to WFP to stave off famine, SEK 185 million to UNHCR to help displaced people and SEK 90 million to UNFPA to prevent maternal mortality and combat gender-based violence.