Development Sweden #22. Sweden’s ODA focus 2024 is presented in a letter of appropriation
A newsletter on Swedish development cooperation and policy
Welcome to Development Sweden #22 and a new year! In this issue we deliver news on the Swedish reform agenda for aid, Swedes attitude to development aid, an analysis of coming year and more. If you would like to read the full newsletter you are most welcome to upgrade to a paid subscription. Thank you for joining Development Sweden and supporting our work so that we can continue to deliver insight in Swedish development cooperation and policy.
David Isaksson
Editor in Chief, Global Bar Magazine
Monika Gutestam Hustus
Editor, Development Sweden
What do you think we should write more about? Please give us feedback and suggestions.
Write to:
david@globalreporting.net
mgutestam@aol.com
The following are our headlines:
Sweden’s ODA focus 2024 is presented in a letter of appropriation
Aid to four countries to be phased out
Survey: Swedes Remain Positive About Development Aid
Expert: Israel commits war crimes
Is there anything positive to look forward to?
Sweden’s ODA focus 2024 is presented in a letter of appropriation
Strong focus on business and trade. At the same time, aid cooperation with several countries in Asia and Africa will be terminated. However, Guatemala will remain. These are some of the innovations in the government’s letter of appropriation for Sida for 2024.
The letter of appropriation governing Sida’s activities in 2024 follows the content of the recently presented reform agenda with a strong focus on business and migration.
Migration and repatriation
SEK 25 million from the aid budget is set aside to strengthen the conditions for voluntary repatriation. At the same time, Sida has been given a more comprehensive assignment on migration issues in its letter of appropriation.
The Government writes: The focus on migration in development cooperation will increase to safeguard the Swedish interest in counteracting irregular migration and its risks, promoting return, voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration, and reducing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.
Money to political parties
The Government has decided on a new strategy for party-based democracy assistance, known as PAO support, where funds go to political foundations linked to the parliamentary parties. The strategy amounts to SEK 159 million, an increase of about 70 per cent compared to 2023. Of this money, Sida will distribute SEK 95 million according to the previous model, where project applications are assessed and distributed according to how good the project is considered to be. The rest of the money, SEK 64 million, will go to the parties based on the distribution of seats. SEK 12 million goes to the Sweden Democrats without any prior assessment. The money can also be used for political work in countries not recognised as aid recipients.
Reduced aid to Palestine
Despite the acute humanitarian situation in Gaza, Sweden has decided to reduce its aid to the UN agency UNRWA. Despite the worsening humanitarian crisis, the government is signalling that further reductions may be forthcoming.
Sweden was previously one of the major donors to the UN agency UNRWA, but the current government has already made significant cuts in its support. The government has also paused development cooperation with Palestine (with the exception of two minor operations) while waiting for Sida to complete the review that the agency submitted to the government in November.
According to the letter of appropriation presented at the end of 2022, Swedish aid to UNRWA was to amount to SEK 500 million in 2023. However, in November 2023, the Government decided - through an amendment to the letter of appropriation - to reduce aid to UNRWA from SEK 500 to 420 million.
Now, the aid to the UN agency is being further reduced - to SEK 400 million for 2024, according to the latest letter of appropriation. The decision is a mark against UNRWA, which Israeli lobbyists accuse of being controlled by Hamas, something which the UN denies.
Stopping funding to peace organisations
In August, Global Bar Magazine revealed that the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) had stopped funding civil society organisations. Officially, it was just put on hold. Now, the agency confirms that the support will end.
The Swedish Agency for Peace, Security and Development, the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), has previously granted support to organisations that work with peace promotion efforts both in Sweden and internationally. The agency allocated funding to specific projects or to core activities, and for 2023, seven project applications and seven operational applications were granted. In August, Global Bar Magazine revealed that the support had been stopped, even though it was officially put on hold. The FBA now confirms that the support has been stopped.
Ukraine is, of course, at the centre of Sweden’s efforts in 2024, but the Balkans and Turkey will also receive continued support.
Comparison table. Amounts in thousands of euros. ap=appropriation item
Aid to four countries to be phased out
The Government is terminating aid to South Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso in 2024. Guatemala remains, while several other countries have been temporarily extended. This is stated in the Government's letter of appropriation for Sida.
The letter of appropriation contains several concrete statements about different countries. Below are some of the most important ones.
Co-operation with Cambodia is terminated
The cooperation with Cambodia is terminated. The Government writes: Sida's mandate in the Strategy for Regional Development Cooperation with Asia and Oceania 2022-2026 regarding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Cambodia will cease to apply. Activities must be completed by 31 December 2024 at the latest; no payments will be made after this date. Final reporting must be done in accordance with applicable guidelines.
Co-operation with Burkina Faso is terminated
The Government writes: The extended strategy for Sweden's development cooperation with Burkina Faso 2018-2022 will expire. Activities must be completed by 31 December 2024 at the latest; no payments will be made after this date. Final reporting must be done according to current guidelines.
Co-operation with Mali is terminated
The Government writes: The strategy for Sweden's development cooperation with Mali 2021-2025 will expire. Activities must be completed by 31 December 2024 at the latest, and no payments will be made after this date. Final reporting must be done according to current guidelines.
Co-operation with South Sudan ends
The Government writes: The extended strategy for Sweden's development cooperation with South Sudan 2018-2022 will expire. Activities must be completed by 31 December 2024 at the latest; no payments will be made after this date.
Guatemala will remain
There was great concern that aid to Guatemala would disappear completely. This will not be the case, at least not for now. The government writes:
In 2024, Sida may use a maximum of SEK 90 million for activities under the Strategy for Sweden's development cooperation with Guatemala 2021-2025. New agreements or extensions of agreements should be avoided as far as possible. The Government will review the strategy based on Government Decision UD2023/17726 Aid for a new era - Freedom, empowerment and sustainable growth.
Somalia, Uganda, Myanmar and Zambia extended ”temporarily”
In the letter of appropriation, the Government states that several country strategies will be extended until the end of February and the end of December 2024. The Government writes:
The strategy for development cooperation with Somalia 2018-2022 is extended until 31 December 2024 or until the government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy will be a maximum of SEK 480 million in 2024.
Strategy for Sweden's regional strategy for the Syria crisis 2016-2023 is extended to apply until 31 December 2024 or until the Government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy in 2024 will be a maximum of SEK 295 million.
The strategy for Sweden's development cooperation with Sudan 2018-2022 is extended until 31 December 2024 or until the Government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy in 2024 will be a maximum of SEK 220 million.
The strategy for development cooperation with Myanmar 2018-2022 is extended until 28 February 2024 or until the Government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy in 2024 will be a maximum of SEK 200 million.
The strategy for development cooperation with Uganda 2018-2023 is extended until 28 February 2024 or until the Government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy in 2024 will be a maximum of SEK 300 million.
The strategy for development cooperation with Zambia 2018-2022 is extended until 31 January 2024 or until the Government decides on a new strategy. The volume of the strategy in 2024 will be a maximum of SEK 450 million.