Press release
20 September 2011
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Government initiatives in development cooperation

The Government is allocating one per cent of estimated gross national income (GNI) to development cooperation in 2012. This means SEK 35.8 billion, an increase of SEK 640 million. This also includes costs from other parts of the central government budget that are classed as development assistance, e.g. costs for asylum seekers, Sweden's contributions to EU development aid and contributions to the regular budget of certain UN bodies, totalling SEK 5.5 million. The development cooperation part of the expenditure area international development cooperation and reform cooperation in eastern Europe totals SEK 30.3 billion.

New initiatives

Democratisation and freedom of expression

The Government is strengthening its initiative for democratisation and freedom of expression with particular focus on actors for change, human rights defenders and countries in the process of transition to democracy. The Government is allocating SEK 90 million to this special initiative.

Entrepreneurship for poverty reduction

The Government is investing in growth and private sector development and is allocating SEK 650 million in the 2012 development assistance budget to specifically support entrepreneurship for poverty reduction. By providing targeted support to entrepreneurship, Sweden can make a concrete contribution to improved living conditions, job opportunities and self-sufficiency for poor people.

To encourage the growth of robust small and medium-sized enterprises in countries where an adequate supply of private capital cannot be mobilised, a long-term capital contribution to Swedfund is proposed, amounting to at least SEK 1.2 billion over the next three-year period, SEK 400 million of which will be available in 2012.

Millennium Development Goal initiative

The Government is making concerted efforts up to 2015 to strengthen Sweden's contribution to the Millennium Development Goals. Initiatives for Africa are being stepped up, with particular focus on Millennium Development Goals 4 (reduced infant mortality), 5 (improved maternal health) and 7 (which includes improved access to water and sanitation).

The Millennium Development Goal initiative for the children and young people of the world launched in last year's budget will continue, focusing on measures to prevent and fight diarrhoea and diseases caused by polluted water and a lack of sanitation. Continued support for research on poverty-related diseases, which primarily affect children, is expected to help reduce ill health in children in the longer term. The initiative also includes efforts to ensure that access to primary education, particularly for girls, is improved in some of Sweden's partner countries.

Deeper humanitarian support

The Government will deepen its humanitarian commitments in 2012 in order to offer assistance to the weakest and most vulnerable people around the world. A total of over SEK 5 billion is allocated in this year's budget for humanitarian operations. Around SEK 3 billion is channelled via Sida, primarily to appeals for help in various countries. More than SEK 2 billion is handled by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and comprises core budget support to humanitarian organisations such as UNICEF, the UNHCR, the WFP and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Water Aid Innovation Challenge

The Government is also raising its level of ambition in the area of water and sanitation to contribute to achieving Millennium Development Goal 7 (ensuring environmentally sustainable development). As part of this, the Government will launch the Water Aid Innovation Challenge, an initiative aiming to get innovators, entrepreneurs and civil society organisations involved in finding smart solutions to known development challenges in this area.

Grants to foreign students

The Government is allocating SEK 50 million to make it possible for students from countries classed as development assistance countries by the OECD/DAC to come to study in Sweden.

Contact

Evin Khaffaf

Press Secretary to Gunilla Carlsson

+46 8 405 59 39

+46 70 283 95 97

email to Evin Khaffaf