The overall objective of development cooperation is to help create conditions that will enable the poor to improve their lives. The six previous sub-goals are to impact on all development cooperation under the global development policy. The entire focus will be on the fight against poverty.

Driven by demand

Countries own strategies for poverty reduction are to be the basis for the initiatives taken by Sweden in development cooperation. Development assistance is to be more demand-driven. Decisions on priorities and actions must be more frequently taken in the poor countries themselves, by their own governments and peoples. International development cooperation is to supplement the developing countries’ own efforts to achieve development.

Cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe

Cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe has been merged with other international development cooperation. The lessons learned from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in their rapid transition from dictatorship to democracy, from command economy to market economy, must be turned to good effect. In the cooperation with Eastern Europe, the strengthening of democratic structures, active citizen participation and the development of good governance and administration will continue to be given high priority. Cooperation with Swedish municipalities, county administrative boards, county councils and major regions will continue to play an important role in developing local and regional administration. As part of the fight against poverty in this part of the world, development cooperation will be targeted at measures that promote these countries alignment with European cooperation structures and community of values.

Cooperation with different actors

Cooperation with other donors, the UN, the EU, NGOs and the business sector will be improved to reduce administrative costs and avoid contradictory decisions and duplication. From the perspective of developing countries, it is not relevant whether the resources come from Sweden, the EU, the UN or financial institutions. What is important is that initiatives are well coordinated and support the country’s strategies effectively. This means that Sweden’s development cooperation overall can be both broadened and made more flexible. The Government rejects the idea of a limited number of cooperation countries. Sweden must work in all countries where it can make a meaningful contribution. While its initiatives may be concentrated to fewer areas and sectors, more initiatives can be undertaken jointly with other actors.

The one percent goal

Sweden has a high level of ambition with regard to poverty reduction and global development. We belong to a small group of countries that have long complied with the UN recommendation to allocate at least 0.7 per cent of GNI to international development cooperation. The goal of one per cent of GNI allocated to development cooperation is expected to be achieved this year.

More effeciency

Sweden should be an active force in making international development cooperation more effective. One means of achieving this should be to allow development assistance to be unconditional on cooperation countries buying certain products from the donor country. The procurement of goods and services in development cooperation should take place in free competition. The developing countries will then get more for each krona of aid.

Harmonisation

At present, the international actors working with development cooperation include, in addition to the developing countries themselves, some 30 donor countries, 20 international financial institutions, some 50 UN bodies and thousands of NGOs and private actors. Sweden should support and strengthen the capacity of developing countries to coordinate their development cooperation themselves. The aim should be that all actors adapt themselves to systems in the cooperation country