Nordic affairs

On 18 September, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa will host a meeting of Nordic development cooperation ministers in Stockholm. The meeting is taking place within the framework of Sweden’s Presidency of N5 – the informal foreign and security cooperation format between the Nordic countries. The agenda includes support to Ukraine, links between migration and development assistance, support to free and fair elections, the global green transition and Nordic collaboration with the private sector on innovation.

The Nordic transport ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have gathered in Gothenburg on 14 August 2024 and discussed issues of common interest.

In 2024, Sweden is responsible for coordinating foreign and security cooperation of the Nordic countries (N5) and the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8). In this role, Sweden has chosen to highlight three main priorities: strengthening security policy cooperation in the region, maintaining unwavering support for Ukraine’s right to freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and securing continued global support for Ukraine.

A new Öresund Agreement that will make life easier for cross-border commuters, a joint declaration on competitiveness and security by Nordic heads of government, and consensus on how to raise the level of ambition in global environmental efforts. These are just a few examples of what has been achieved during the first six months of Sweden’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

On 19–20 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström will host a meeting of the Nordic foreign ministers in Stockholm. The meeting will take place within the framework of Sweden’s Presidency of the N5 – Nordic cooperation on foreign and security policy.

Friday 31 May, Prime Minster Ulf Kristersson hosted a Nordic-Ukrainian Summit in Stockholm. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Iceland’s Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson took part.

At the third Nordic-Ukrainian Summit in Stockholm on 31 May, the Prime Ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland and the Presidents of Ukraine and Finland issued the following statement:

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hosted a Nordic-Ukrainian Summit in Stockholm today, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the heads of state and government of the other Nordic countries taking part.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Sweden to take part in a Nordic-Ukrainian Summit hosted by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

On Friday 31 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will host a Nordic summit with the President of Finland and the heads of government of Denmark, Norway and Iceland.

On 13 May, heads of government of the five Nordic countries and Germany’s Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Stockholm within the framework of a Nordic summit.

On 13–14 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will host the heads of government of the Nordic countries and Germany’s Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a summit in Stockholm.

Screen time’s impact on the health of children and young people was on the agenda when ministers from across the Nordic region met in Stockholm on 17 April. Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed hosted the meeting, which was under the auspices of the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers also discussed how Nordic cooperation against antimicrobial resistance can be strengthened.

More and more children and young people are becoming involved in criminal networks, and stopping recruitment requires early interventions, knowledge-based methods and collaboration. Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer and Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall therefore hosted Nordic countries, including the autonomous regions, for a discussion about children and young people who are, or risk being, involved in crime. The meeting was held within the framework of the ongoing Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

On 10–16 March, Minister for Gender Equality Paulina Brandberg is taking part in the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), also known as the UN women’s commission, in New York. The theme of this year’s session is combating poverty and how institutions and financing can be strengthened from a gender equality perspective. Ms Brandberg is also hosting the activities arranged by the Nordic Council of Ministers, of which Sweden is holding the Presidency in 2024. Ms Brandberg will hold two policy speeches: Sweden’s policy speech and a policy speech for an LGBTI Core Group that includes Sweden.

On Monday 5 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and Minister for EU Affairs, with responsibility for Nordic affairs, Jessika Roswall informed the diplomatic corps of the priorities for the N5 and NB8 and the Nordic Council of Ministers, all of which will be chaired by Sweden this year. Around 100 diplomatic representatives attended the briefing.

Speech by Minister for EU Affairs, with responsibility for Nordic affairs, Jessika Roswall for the diplomatic corps at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Monday 5 February. Check against delivery.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström for the diplomatic corps at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Monday 5 February. Check against delivery.

Today is the first day of the one-year Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the official body for intergovernmental cooperation in the Nordic region. The programme for the Swedish Presidency is based on the vision of the Nordic region being the world’s most integrated and sustainable region by 2030. A special priority of the Swedish Presidency is to eliminate border barriers and promote mobility and integration.