Peace-building and state-building

The work of the United Nations is of central importance for Sweden. It is only through well-functioning multilateralism that many of the greatest problems of our times can be solved.

This autumn the UN General Assembly will discuss further measures required to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Although the prospects of achieving the goal of halving world poverty by 2015 are good, more initiatives will be required to stimulate development in the very poorest countries.

We still have a situation in the world where one child dies of malnutrition every five seconds. Rural and agricultural development are essential for more reliable food supplies. From this perspective, better profitability in agriculture is one way out of poverty for many people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood. In the cities, however, rising food prices may lead to greater difficulties for the poor.

At this time, Swedish soldiers are set to leave for Chad to participate in the joint United Nations-European Union efforts to protect people and create better conditions for peace in the whole of this region.

This mission is perhaps the most complicated and demanding one that the European Union has ever been involved in. It must also be seen in light of the need to prevent the conflict from spreading and to reduce suffering throughout this vast region, which also includes Sudan, and not least Darfur.

It is an expression of our conviction that Sweden and Europe cannot stand by passively watching crises where communities are destroyed, people's freedoms and rights are violated and innocent people are mutilated and killed.

Building peace often requires considerable time. The fixed-term European Union mission in Chad and the Central African Republic must be followed by more extensive United Nations operations.

The fact that the world organisation is simultaneously implementing its largest peace operation ever in Sudan shows the extent of the challenges in this area.

Sweden is contributing considerable humanitarian support, primarily to Darfur. We are also actively supporting the United Nations and African Union peace efforts led by Jan Eliasson and others.

Sweden is also participating in the international contact group for Somalia, and we will be further strengthening our commitment to the country as soon as the situation there allows.

Sweden supports a solution to the border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea based on international law, in accordance with the arbitration decision that the parties have undertaken to implement.

The communication on Africa which will shortly be presented to the Riksdag gives a broad, multifaceted view of Africa. As developments in many African countries are now heading in the right direction, our relations with them are being strengthened and are moving onto a more equal footing. The business sector is playing an increasingly important role in our cooperation with countries in Africa.

The picture, however, is fragmented.

While African economies have achieved growth of six per cent and while democracy and respect for human rights have developed in a positive direction in quite a number of countries and there are fewer armed conflicts than there have been for many years, the tragic and disturbing developments in Kenya show how fragile this progress often is. The situation in the severely afflicted eastern Congo is both a humanitarian tragedy and a continued source of regional instability.

Developments in Afghanistan over the past year are a cause of concern. The production of opium has increased to levels that the world has probably not seen for over a century. The security situation, primarily in the country's eastern and southern regions, has deteriorated. The political outlook has become more uncertain.

Sweden is seeking to give the United Nations a stronger coordinating role in the joint peace-support operations in Afghanistan. Political and economic efforts must be strengthened, but this requires guaranteeing security in the country, through a better combination of domestic and international initiatives.

Sweden's commitments in Afghanistan are long-term and we will be opening an embassy in Kabul this year.

The Government intends to come back to the Riksdag to present the policy for our continued efforts in Afghanistan and to describe how the security and effectiveness of our operations can be increased. We are cooperating closely with other Nordic countries on future policy for our action there.

We shall continue to press for UN Resolution 1325 on women in armed conflicts and their role in work for greater peace and security to be implemented in practice.

Terrorism has created new challenges for joint security cooperation. There is a need for intergovernmental cooperation that can also deal with threats from non-state actors. The Government has presented its overall view of terrorism and its various dimensions in a communication that is now awaiting the Riksdag's attention.

The Government will continue to call for improvement and refinement of the international sanctions instruments. In order to guarantee legal security and respect for international law, and for human rights, Sweden is working together with like-minded countries to improve the review mechanisms within the framework of the UN Security Council.

The Government will continue to work for arms control and disarmament in various forums - primarily those based at the United Nations. In Europe we attach importance to a renewed Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty should be ratified by all countries. New initiatives may be needed with regard to preventing the further proliferation of sensitive technologies, such as those in the nuclear field.