· Aid should be transparent, effective and act as a catalyst for economic development.
· Support for Ukraine will displace more aid strategies.
· Humanitarian aid continues to be a priority
· A Swedish development bank will not be relevant within the current mandate period.
These were some of the main messages when representatives from civil society organizations, Sida and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gathered at the Civil Society Forum 2025.
– It is never easy to implement changes, but the reform [of aid policy] should lead to increased transparency, better efficiency and improved follow-up. The ambition is to create a more cohesive and strategic whole, where Sweden speaks with one voice and aid becomes an integrated part of the government's overall policy, explains Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa to the audience.
Peter Kvist, head of the policy group at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Unit for International Development Cooperation, explains that the new Swedish aid policy is a response to a changing world:
– The expression of intent in the reform agenda is clear – we will continue to be generous, but there is an understanding that Sweden cannot fill the enormous funding gap that exists.
The important role that civil society plays as an aid actor was emphasized several times. The reform of support for civil society is described as an important part of the reform agenda that aims to make support “more transparent, focused and learning”.
– Support for civil society will increase both in Sweden and globally, but it will not happen in the same way as before. Resources will be used in a more efficient way, explains Dousa.
Increased focus on Ukraine means more deprioritization
– The needs are enormous, and we must look at where we can make the biggest difference. Every aid effort should have a measurable and sustainable impact. We need to make active choices about aid in order to be able to monitor and evaluate it. That is why the number of aid strategies has decreased from 70 to 40, and the number of aid goals has decreased significantly, says Kvist.
In the weeks before, the government announced that bilateral development cooperation with Myanmar would be terminated, and Dousa now warns that more phasing-outs are to be expected. He explains that in a context of tough priorities, Ukraine will continue to be Sweden's biggest foreign and development policy priority. Support for the country will increase by at least another 10 billion kronor per year in the coming years, while the total development budget will decrease from 56 to 53 billion kronor.
At the same time, it is emphasized that humanitarian aid remains a priority for Sweden. The new the humanitarian aid strategy The Minister believes that this marks a rise in ambition, including through new partnership models and strengthened work to increase respect for international humanitarian law and humanitarian access. With flexible and multi-year core support to many UN agencies and the International Red Cross Movement, the efforts will be able to be quickly adapted to needs and lead to change, says Dousa.
Climate aid and work on SRHR will also be prioritized, he explains, and confirms that Sweden will stand firm in its support for human rights and democracy work, and that cooperation within the Nordic circle on these issues will be strengthened.
Aid should be a catalyst – not permanent support
The minister repeats the now familiar phrase "no country in history has ever escaped poverty through aid alone."
– Trade and aid are not two separate tools, but complement and reinforce each other. “Aid to trade” is a sign that aid has done its job, and Sweden wants to take more steps in that direction, he says, also emphasizing the importance of aid acting as leverage to mobilize other resources, not least private capital.
Kvist also emphasizes that aid needs to be catalytic. During today's roundtable discussion and question and answer session, the question of how the concept of 'catalytic' should be interpreted was raised. The newly appointed State Secretary for International Development Cooperation Karin Juhlin has no direct answer, but reflects on the need to clarify what is included in that and many other aid concepts.
Aid in the media spotlight
It has been a turbulent first year for the Minister of Development Cooperation and Trade. Dousa notes that his issues have been in the media spotlight, but often for bad reasons, such as the situations in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.
Comments about the aid have also been frequent on the debate and editorial pages. As recently as 29 September, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and party secretary Karin Enström (M) proposed in an opinion article in Dagens Industri the establishment of a Swedish development bank that will handle the majority of Swedish development assistance. Dousa explains during the meeting that a Swedish development bank could “use the balance sheet more effectively and create the opportunity to make counterclaims on recipient countries” but that the proposal does not fit into the government's policy during the current term of office.
Something that the government itself has discussed extensively in the media since it took office three years ago is the lack of clear evidence of the effects of aid. The participants highlight the extensive reporting requirements that have long existed within aid. But the question of what evidence and reports are considered missing is left unanswered.
When the Civil Society Forum starts Sverige Radio (SR) has just reported that the Swedish government would have made a secret agreement with the Somali government. 100 million kronor from the aid budget would have been redirected in exchange for Somalia accepting forcibly expelled citizens. 60 million would have been paid out in 2025 to a UNDP project that includes the Prime Minister's Office.
According to sources to SR, the project in Somalia was considered to be associated with high corruption risks, but was nevertheless approved after clear instructions from the government in Sida's appropriation letterMats Hårsmar at the Expert Group for Aid Analysis explains to Ekot that the project's goals are unclear and that he himself had not approved the project.
Despite statements by government representatives and officials about the need for measurable and sustainable effects, stricter monitoring, open competition and zero tolerance for corruption in aid, SR's review will not be discussed during the day.