The government's restructuring of Swedish aid policy continues. The cuts to Sida's funding are distributed, among other things, to aid to Asia and Africa, which are being reduced by SEK 500 million and SEK 1.8 billion respectively.
The cut in Sida's funding corresponds to 18 percent, almost a fifth.
"Many people will be affected by the decisions we have made. Many efforts and projects that help people around the world will disappear as a direct result of the decisions we have made," says Dousa.
Life-saving efforts
Core support for the UN Development Program, UNDP, which works with long-term global development, will be cut from SEK 516 million to SEK 40 million. Dousa emphasizes that the government is choosing to prioritize support for humanitarian, life-saving efforts.
That is why we maintain our support for UNHCR and the World Food Program. This is often what leads to large refugee flows, the lack of access to food, clean water, tents and cots, which leads to people embarking on sometimes dangerous escape routes.
In addition to the government wanting to redirect support to Ukraine, the cuts are also justified by the fact that the money is needed "at home in Sweden".
We have big problems and need to strengthen the correctional service, the police and make welfare investments, says Dousa.
On Friday, the government announces new budget support for Ukraine of two billion kronor, the largest single support to a country ever.
"To keep society running, the state budget is also in dire need of additional support, since Ukraine's own tax revenues must go to defense," Dousa and representatives of the other three Tidö parties write in a debate article in the Althingi .
Opposition critical
The Social Democrats are critical of the cuts:
"Sweden is leaving the poorest to their fate, reducing its role in the world and leaving the international stage," writes Morgan Johansson (S).
“With this policy, more people will die, infectious diseases will spread faster and the position of women and girls in the poorest countries will be further weakened.”
The Center Party believes that the announcement of the cuts is "tragic".
"The Center Party is the only party that wants support for Ukraine to be placed outside the aid budget in its own Ukraine fund, then neither increased taxes nor cuts in other aid projects are needed to keep the support strong in the long term," writes Anna Lasses (C).
The government, according to its own statement, is implementing the biggest change to development assistance "ever in Sweden's history".
The aid budget will be reduced from SEK 56 billion to SEK 53 billion in 2026, and greater focus will be placed on aid to Ukraine. According to Benjamin Dousa, support to Ukraine will increase to at least SEK 10 billion.
The Swedish development agency Sida's allocation will decrease by just over four billion kronor in 2026. According to the government, it is primarily development assistance that will be reduced.
Recently, it was announced that Sweden is phasing out aid to five countries: Bolivia, Liberia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
