Quality and effectiveness of development assistance
Swedish development cooperation will be characterised by quality and effectiveness. Poverty reduction in Africa and elsewhere must be seen in a broad perspective that includes support for democracy, human rights, a vigorous civil society, good governance, security and the building of market economy structures.
The overall objective of our development cooperation is to help create conditions that will enable poor people to improve their lives. The fight against poverty in its various manifestations is a key starting point of Sweden's overall development policy.
During this electoral period, the Government is giving priority to three main areas in Swedish development cooperation: democracy and human rights, environment and climate, and gender equality and the role of women in development. By pursuing these priorities, Sweden is also contributing to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Quality and effectiveness are decisive in ensuring that Swedish development cooperation achieves its goals. The decision to focus bilateral development cooperation on fewer countries - around thirty, as against seventy or so in the past - will play a vital role. Sweden will focus more strongly on long-term poverty reduction and economic growth in Africa in particular, and on cooperation for reform in former Soviet states and south-eastern Europe.
Our commitment to peace, security and development in a number of conflict and post-conflict countries will be deepened. In countries where a return to war or armed conflict is the greatest threat to poverty reduction, efforts for peace, reconciliation and human rights must be given high priority. Sweden remains strongly committed to the achievement of democratic change in several states with serious democratic deficits.
Functioning public institutions, a vigorous civil society, economic growth, a good business climate and trade are some of the fundamental factors promoting development. During the past year, international efforts to strengthen Aid for Trade have received considerable attention at several international meetings. This is a means for us to support opportunities for developing countries to become integrated into the global economy. Sweden has been proactive in this work.
Gender equality and increased support for women's rights and their role in development are fundamental platforms for effective poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth. The gender perspective therefore has a central place in the Government's communication on Africa and in the new Africa-EU strategy. The HIV/AIDS epidemic also demands special initiatives, with a focus on preventive action.
The Government has also established a new policy area for cooperation on reform in eastern Europe, the aims of which are stronger democracy, fair and sustainable development, and closer relations with the European Union.
The Government has adopted a strategy for our multilateral development cooperation. By examining the relevance and effectiveness of organisations in relation to Swedish development policy goals, an assessment will be made of both the level of support and the actual choice of which organisations are to receive Swedish support.
Sweden has also made major contributions to the World Bank's fund for the poorest countries and the African Development Fund. Swedish donations to these funds now amount to nearly SEK 8 billion for the three-year period 2008-2010. Sweden has also successfully advocated that both the World Bank and the African Development Bank increase their commitment to fragile states and to fighting climate change. In addition, during the autumn the Government decided that over a two-year period Sweden will contribute close to SEK 2 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
