News · World · Published 11 July 2026
Sweden adopts nine aid strategies worth about SEK 6 billion
DailySweden Editorial Desk
Updated 01:23 · 3 min read
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The Swedish government has adopted nine development-assistance strategies worth a total of about SEK 6 billion for work in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Sida has been instructed to implement country strategies for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Colombia, Guatemala, Cuba and Bangladesh. A ninth strategy covers regional development cooperation in Latin America.
The strategies will run from 2026 to 2031. They form part of a wider reorganisation in which the government is reducing the number of separate aid strategies and simplifying how the programmes are governed.
According to the announcement, the total number of Swedish development-assistance strategies is expected to fall from almost 70 to 32 by the end of 2026.
The government says the new programmes will have fewer targets and will place greater emphasis on approaches that can show concrete results. It describes the changes as its largest step so far towards making the aid system more coherent.
Growth and improved opportunities for people to earn a living will be central priorities. The strategies will also support democratic development, respect for human rights and freedoms, and the rule of law.
In several of the country and regional strategies, the government has highlighted inclusive institutions. It says accountable institutions, participation, due process and broader economic opportunities are important conditions for reducing poverty and supporting growth.
The decisions determine the overall direction and financial framework for Sida’s work in the named countries and region. Sida is responsible for putting the strategies into practice over the six-year period.
The announcement does not provide a country-by-country breakdown of the SEK 6 billion total. It also does not list individual projects or recipients. Those details will depend on implementation under the separate strategies.
The immediate change is therefore in the structure and priorities of Swedish development assistance: nine new strategies now guide Sida’s work, while the wider number of strategies is being cut substantially. The programmes are intended to continue through 2031.
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