The new development cooperation policy

Sweden is restructuring its bilateral aid by focusing on a limited number of recipient countries. Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson stated this at a press conference at Rosenbad earlier today. The Government hopes that the country focus approach will improve the effectiveness and quality of Swedish development cooperation.

"As minister responsible for international development cooperation, my primary duty is to ensure that Sweden's initiatives produce results. An active Swedish development policy, carried out in the right way, can make a significant contribution to equitable and sustainable global development, and play a role in the struggle against poverty," Ms Carlsson said.

The African continent

"We see challenges in Africa and therefore want to increase our involvement there. On this continent, the need of support for poverty reduction is the greatest, and the road towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals is the longest."

Our immediate region

"We see challenges in our immediate region and therefore want to increase our commitment to continued EU integration and thereby strengthen poverty reduction and important reforms in former Soviet states and south-eastern Europe."

Conflict areas

"And we see challenges in countries where people are particularly at risk due to conflicts or the lack of democracy and therefore want to increase our commitment to democracy, human rights, and peace and security around the world, including countries where the conditions for aid are particularly difficult."