Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Sweden’s participation in international crisis management and peace support contributes to upholding and strengthening the rules-based global order and is a priority of Sweden’s national security strategy (SB2017/00106–1). The basic premise of Sweden’s engagement is that security is best built through collaboration and partnership with others.

Developments in Afghanistan are extremely serious. Lives, and the advances made in the last 20 years, are under threat. The Swedish evacuation at Kabul Airport has been completed. Sweden’s commitment to the Afghan people remains steadfast.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to most countries until 15 October.

Utrikesgruppen.se, svenska-ambassaden.com and sveriges-konsulat.com are examples of privately run websites that have no affiliation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs or the Government Offices. The travel information issued by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and contact details for Sweden’s missions abroad are available on swedenabroad.se.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to most countries until 1 September. At the same time, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is lifting the advice against travel to countries and administrative regions that have recently been added to the EU exemption list. As of 24 June, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has lifted the advice against non-essential travel to Albania, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Serbia, the United States, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The year 2020 was a challenging year for global health. The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century health crisis. The acute crisis must be managed while sustaining long-term investments in health systems, health security and healthy communities. The report on Sweden’s development assistance for health contains statistics from the Government Offices and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)on Swedish support to health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in 2020.

Democracy is worth protecting – every day. The freedom to choose, speak, think and love can never be taken for granted. The same applies to people’s right to exercise influence, vote and be treated equally under the law. Sweden will continue to do all it can to be a strong voice and actor for democratic development in the world. We are now stepping up our efforts to protect democracy.

Sweden has long been at the forefront of promoting, protecting and safeguarding democracy throughout the world. The MFA’s drive for democracy will deepen and strengthen these efforts. “The drive for democracy is a reaction to the pushback against democracy around the world. When authoritarian powers grow stronger, the foundation of our safety and security is under threat. Sweden has a long tradition and strong engagement in the area of human rights. We are now pulling out all the stops to protect democracy,” says Annika Ben David, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend the advice against travel introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision means that the advice against non-essential travel to many countries around the world will be extended until 1 July. At the same time, more countries have been removed from the list.

How many people work at the Government Offices? What was the central government budget like last year? How many acts and ordinances were issued last year? The answer to these and other questions can be found in the Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2020.

This booklet contains names of Swedish government agencies, Swedish organisations and EU bodies, Swedish titles used in the public administrative system and country names. The terms are given in seven languages: Swedish, English, German, French, Spanish, Finnish and Russian.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented global crisis. The worldwide spread of the virus highlights the importance of collaboration and solidarity in tackling global challenges, leaving no one behind. Sweden continues to stand up for international principles and commitments and to support multilateral organisations working to fight the pandemic and its impacts. This is in line with Sweden’s work and ambitions to meet the 2030 Agenda. With a well-considered response, the international community can together lay the foundations for a more sustainable, equitable and gender-equal world that will be better equipped to manage future crises.

The aim of the activities within the scope of this strategy is to contribute to strengthening the resilience – the ability to withstand, adapt and recover – of the Syrian population and of vulnerable groups in Syria’s neighbouring countries that are severely affected by the conflict. The strategy will also contribute to strengthening democracy and gender equality, and to greater respect for human rights in Syria and for refugees from Syria in neighbouring countries.

The objective of Sweden’s international development cooperation is to create conditions to improves the lives of people living in poverty and oppression. Sweden’s development cooperation is based on the principles of aid and development effectiveness, the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Sweden’s feminist foreign policy will guide the activities.

A report summary in English regarding the work of Sweden on its third national action plan for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution on women, peace and security is being published today.

This strategy will underpin Swedish cooperation with the World Bank Group (WBG) in 2020–2023. The strategy establishes the priorities of Sweden’s membership of, and partnership with, the WBG and will guide Sweden’s positions both in the work of the governing board and financing negotiations on future replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA), and the monitoring of these.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided on 21 December 2020 to reintroduce advice against non-essential travel to the United Kingdom. The decision came into force immediately.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided today to extend the advice against non-essential travel to Estonia, Ireland and Latvia until 16 December.