Of: Annie Sturinge (f. Sturesson)
When Western "experts" are sent out to provide support and advice to developing countries, it is called technical assistance. It is often expensive and difficult. But despite the fact that it constitutes a significant proportion of all official development assistance, there is surprisingly silence about this form of development assistance in the Swedish development assistance debate, writes Annie Sturesson who works at the Ministry of Finance in Uganda.
February 17, 2015, Debate
Of: Olle Törnquist
That the aid that followed the tsunami disaster 10 years ago would have been successful is an offensive half-truth. That is the opinion of Olle Törnquist, professor at the University of Oslo.
January 16, 2015, Debate
Of: Björn Ekman
Sida's claim that the Global Fund's and GAVI's efforts would be “well integrated in the recipient countries 'health systems where the starting point is the countries' own needs and priorities” lacks strong support. These and other major donors have built up special systems for HIV / AIDS support, which are separate from the countries' own systems. The donors have not done enough to increase the effectiveness of aid or reduce the burden of aid on the recipient countries, Björn Ekman writes in a reply.
November 4, 2014, Debate
Of: Björn Ekman
The parallel, bureaucratic structures that have emerged in international health assistance mean that the support of the outside world can be directly detrimental to the recipient countries' conditions for development. No more fragmented efforts are needed to deal with the Ebola epidemic, efforts based on knowledge and needs are needed. That is the opinion of Björn Ekman, a researcher at Lund University
October 28, 2014, Debate
Of: Göran Hyden
The previous government did not accept the opposition between effective aid and measurable results. Standardization, fixed-term results and predetermined monetary frameworks are some of the problems that the new government can now solve. That is the opinion of Göran Hydén.
October 21, 2014, Debate
Of: Nordström is different
The experience of GAVI and the Global Fund's targeted health initiatives shows that simple and fast results are not in conflict with more complicated and long-term solutions. The question is whether these experiences from the health area can be applied in other areas, such as the climate. It writes Anders Nordström, Sweden's ambassador for Global Health.
December 20, 2013, Debate
With the report "Who is Responsible", we want to focus on donors' excessive control and scrutiny systems in civil society support, which risk counteracting the ambitions to strengthen civil society, promote the development of democracy and fight poverty. Arne Zetterström's reply seems to be about support for governments, which our report is not about. It writes Maj Lis Follér, associate professor at the University of Gothenburg
December 10, 2013, Debate
Of: Peter Winai
Bad, populist posts like Elisebeth Höglund's steal attention from important issues that are not usually debated. That is the opinion of Peter Winai, researcher and author
October 23, 2013, Debate
Of: Per Karlsson
The Government's focus on results risks leading to the aid organizations' legitimacy being assessed only on the basis of their ability to achieve short-term and easily measurable results rather than the ability to give the recipients influence and thereby contribute to long-term results. In addition, it leads to increased administrative costs, something that Minister for Development Aid Gunilla Carlsson (M) herself has criticized. It writes Per Karlsson, a recent graduate student at the University of Gothenburg.
August 19, 2013, Debate
Of: Anna Liljelund Hedqvist, Catherine Schmitz, Chris Coulter and Jessica Rothman
Much work remains to be done in practice to integrate gender equality work throughout Swedish development assistance. Concrete improvements can be made in the planning, implementation and follow-up of development assistance to achieve the Swedish goals of increased gender equality. Lessons must be learned but also applied in practice, write four representatives of InDevelop, who in a new thread invite to give concrete examples of successes and challenges for gender equality work in development assistance.
March 19, 2013, Debate
