Foreign and security policy

Foreign policy is about Sweden’s relations with and policies towards other countries. Preventing risks and threats is an important part of security policy, which in turn is part of foreign policy. Swedish policy is pursued via direct relations with other countries and also through bodies such as the EU and the UN.

Responsible for foreign and security policy

Responsible minister

Margot Wallström
Margot Wallström Minister for Foreign Affairs

Responsible ministry

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News about foreign and security policy

  • Handbook for Sweden's feminist foreign policy

    Margot Wallström
    Margot Wallström is launching a handbook for Sweden's feminist foreign policy. Regeringskansliet/Ninni Andersson

    The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is launching a handbook for Sweden's feminist foreign policy. This handbook should be a resource for international work relating to gender equality and all women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of human rights. It contains a selection of methods and experiences that can provide examples and inspiration for further work of the Swedish Foreign Service, other parts of the civil service and society as a whole. The handbook also describes the first four years of working with a feminist foreign policy. Thereby, it responds to the considerable national and international interest in this policy.

  • Sweden to chair UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 2019–2020

    It is now clear that Sweden will be elected Chair of the IAEA Board of Governors for 2019–2020.

UNGA
United Nations General Assembly Photo: Åke E:son Lindman

Sweden and the UN

The United Nations is a central arena for Sweden’s action to address global challenges. Through the UN, Sweden contributes to conflict prevention, peace efforts, rebuilding of conflict-affected states, and disarmament and non-proliferation. The UN is also an important channel for Sweden’s humanitarian work and our efforts to fight poverty, promote sustainable development and combat climate change. Other priorities for Sweden in the UN include strengthening international law and promoting human rights and gender equality issues. The three pillars of the UN – peace and security, development and human rights – are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. It is impossible to achieve success in one of these areas without also strengthening the others.

Margot Wallström presenterade Utrikesdeklarationen 2015
Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström presented the Statement of Foreign Policy 2015 Photo: Melker Dahlstrand/The Swedish Parliament

Feminist foreign policy

Equality between women and men is a fundamental aim of Swedish foreign policy. Ensuring that women and girls can enjoy their fundamental human rights is both an obligation within the framework of our international commitments, and a prerequisite for reaching Sweden’s broader foreign policy goals on peace, and security and sustainable development.

Photo: Anders Löwdin / The Riksdag

Statement of Foreign Policy 2019

On 13 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström presented the 2019 Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag.

Photo: Jonas Svensson, Swedish Armed Forces

Sweden in the UN Security Council

After being elected by a wide margin to the United Nations Security Council, Sweden was a non-permanent member of the Council for the 2017–2018 term. As a principled member of the United Nations Security Council, Sweden took its cue from the foundation stones of international law, human rights, gender equality and a humanitarian perspective. The Swedish working method was characterised by listening, creativity, active diplomacy and an ambition to achieve results.

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