Outside UN headquarters in New York. Photo: UN
Prize-winners' trip to New York - follow the pupils in Dag Hammarskjöld's footsteps
It is now time for the six upper secondary school pupils who won the Ministry for Foreign Affairs competition in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld to experience the first prize. In the course of a few days, Agnes, Magnus, Sophie, Alva, Tekla and Rasmus will get to know the UN and New York in various ways. On Thursday, they will attend a high-level meeting in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld at which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and others will take part.
Statement of government policy presented at opening of Riksdag session
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt presented this year's statement of government policy on Thursday 15 September. The presentation took place at the opening of the Riksdag session. The statement of government policy lays out the Government's policy aims for the year to come.
Message about reducing the budget for the European Union
On the initiative of the Swedish Minister of EU Affairs Birgitta Ohlsson, eight Ministers of EU Affairs gathered to discuss the possibility of a common ground regarding the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).The Ministers agreed to send a clear message to the European Commission and the other member states. The core of the message is that the level of the Commissions proposal is too high and must be reduced.
Maria Larsson to chair UN Conference
Minister for Children and the Elderly Maria Larsson will travel to New York today to chair the fourth session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sweden was one of the driving forces at the inception of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and high hopes are being pinned on Sweden in future work.
Photo: Per Magnus Persson/Johnér
Government newsletter - Housing construction - the plan to get it moving again
Housing construction in Sweden is now picking up. For many years there has been far too little construction, which has resulted in a housing shortage. In this week's newsletter you can read about a range of different measures to reduce the shortage that have been implemented.
Pressconference at the Nordic and Baltic Foreign ministers meeting in Helsinki. Photo: Euro Kuosmanen
Reinforced diplomatic cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries
The Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers have Tuesday September 1 signed a memorandum of understanding on the posting of diplomats at each other's missions abroad. This means that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs can rent office space for Swedish staff at the embassies and consulates of other Nordic and Baltic countries.
Photo: Lena Granefelt/Johnér
Government newsletter - Back to school
This week, school bells will be ringing in what will be a historic year for the Swedish education system. In the Government's newsletter you can read more about reforms including a new Education Act, new curricula, a new upper secondary school system, a new grading scale and apprenticeship programmes.
Photo: Eddie Granlund/Johnér
Eskil Erlandsson presented action plan for the Forest Kingdom
In the spring, Minister for Rural Affairs Eskil Erlandsson launched his vision of `The Forest Kingdom - with values for the world'.
At a press conference on Tuesday 9 August, the next stage of the vision was presented - an action plan for work over the coming years.
"The action plan will be our roadmap for work over the coming years and I hope that it will help to make us even better at making use of the many values embodied by our forests," says Mr Erlandsson.
Three questions to the Minister for Finance about the financial turmoil
Minister for Finance Anders Borg answers questions on developments in the financial markets, the impact on Sweden and the Government's response.
The Badbado camp for internally displaced persons (IPDS). Photo: UN Photo / Stuart Price
Additional humanitarian aid to Somalia
"Two regions in Somalia have already been affected by famine, and more areas are at risk in the coming months. In view of the very serious humanitarian situation, I have decided to contribute an additional SEK 50 million in humanitarian aid to Somalia, which will be channelled through the International Committee of the Red Cross," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.
