sweden (~) euforic
current issues, food for thought, background information

policy and strategy

In December 2003 the Swedish Parliament adopted Shared responsibility - Sweden's policy for global development, an innovative policy which is based on a government bill submitted to Parliament in May 2003. According to the bill, all policy areas should contribute to equitable and sustainable global development in line with the principle of coherence. Two perspectives, the rights perspective and the perspective of the poor, permeate the new policy and thereby programmes of development cooperation. Moreover, the bill emphasizes the importance of closer collaboration with actors in all sectors of society, in particular public authorities at national and local level, civil society and NGOs, the private sector and the trade unions.

In 2002 the Minister for International Development Cooperation initiated a Swedish MDGs campaign with the overall aim of contributing to the fulfillment of the Goals. The objectives are: to keep the MDGs on the agenda in Swedish politics and in current debates, to provide key groups with knowledge, and to create cooperation and opinion in favour of the MDGs internationally.

In 2007, the Swedish governement decided a new strategy for Sweden's multilateral aid , which are guided by the principles of relevance and effectiveness.

All in all, Swedish development assistance amounted to 1.03 per cent of GNI in year 2006.

implementing organisations

The section Global development and development cooperation of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for formulating the objectives of Swedish development cooperation.

For the administration and implementation Sida is the central agency. It specifies the budgets, the countries to work with, and the focus of Swedish international development cooperation. Further, it supports countries in Central and Eastern Europe to promote security, democracy and sustainable development. Sida's goal is to make it possible for poor people to improve their living conditions.

Forum Syd is the Swedish NGO platform, assembling a broad range of organisations, working to provide development assistance, information and to form public opinion on global issues. It serves as a meeting point for member organisations for the exchange of ideas and experiences, and Forum Syd supports applications for Sida funding as well as the implementation of projects in selected countries.