Sweden Shifts Aid Focus from Africa to Ukraine

Sweden will phase out development aid to five African and South American countries to increase support for Ukraine. The government plans to redirect more than 2 billion crowns over the next two years, emphasizing Ukraine as its top foreign and aid policy priority.

Sweden has announced a strategic shift in its foreign aid policy, phasing out development aid to five countries including Zimbabwe and Bolivia, to focus more on Ukraine. This shift aligns with Sweden's renewed foreign policy priorities, emphasizing Ukraine's importance in its international agenda.

The Nordic nation intends to allocate at least 10 billion crowns ($1.06 billion) by 2026 to aid Ukraine, particularly for rebuilding its energy infrastructure. Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, highlighted that there is no 'secret printing press for banknotes' and resources must be repurposed.

This strategic redirection marks a broader trend that began in 2022 under the current government, which entailed cutting aid to over ten countries. Sweden remains a significant global donor, despite reducing its humanitarian aid budget to 53 billion crowns annually for 2026-2028, to also cover immigration and repatriation costs.

(With inputs from agencies.)