International

On April 16 Minister for Education Mats Persson signed the Artemis Accords, a set of principles for exploration and conduct in space. During the ceremony NASA Administrator Bill Nelson delivered the following video remarks.

To improve the conditions for cooperation between Swedish and American universities, research institutions and businesses on research, innovation and education, Vinnova and the Swedish Research Council have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the United States of America.

Speech by Minister for Education Mats Persson at the signing of the Artemis Accords, 16 April 2024. Check against delivery.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Selwyn College, Cambridge, 16 April 2024. Check against delivery.

Today, Minister for Education Mats Persson signed the Artemis Accords, a set of principles for exploration and conduct in space. This also enables Sweden to take part in the international US-led Artemis campaign.

A European infrastructure for carbon capture and storage is underway. Today, arrangements between Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden allow cross-border transport and geological storage of captured CO2.

On 11–13 April, State Secretary Diana Janse travelled to South Sudan with Deputy High Commissioner in the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Kelly Clements. Sweden is one of the largest donors to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the humanitarian disaster in South Sudan, which has been exacerbated by the fighting in Sudan.

Increased investment and a sustainable business sector are crucial to support the reconstruction of Ukraine. In the 2024 Spring Amending Budget, the Government therefore proposes a capital injection of SEK 300 million to Swedfund to increase investment in Ukraine.

The Nordic countries welcome the Israeli government’s announcement that life-saving humanitarian assistance to Gaza can be received in the port of Ashdod, that the Erez crossing will be reopened to facilitate entry to north Gaza, and that humanitarian assistance from Jordan entering through Kerem Shalom crossing in the south will be increased.

The objective of Sweden’s international development assistance is to create conditions to improve the lives of people living in poverty and oppression. Development cooperation is based on the principles of aid and development effectiveness, the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

Today, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell presented the Government’s Music Export Prize to Loreen. Europe were awarded the Government’s Special Prize and the Honourable Mention went to Melodifestivalen.

The Government will task the Swedish Institute with establishing and coordinating a Team Sweden group to create positive interest and confidence in Sweden abroad. This initiative is being presented today, 9 April, at a high-level meeting that includes discussions and a presentation of the work on Sweden’s strategy for foreign trade, investment and global competitiveness (the foreign trade strategy) with leading actors within Team Sweden. Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation Ebba Busch and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell hosted the meeting.

On 3–4 April, Mr Billström will take part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels. This is the first time that Sweden will participate as a NATO Ally. A meeting will also be held between NATO foreign ministers and Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.

On 10 April, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell will present the Government’s Music Export Prize for 2023. The nominees include internationally successful Swedish artists and songwriters.

The Government is allocating SEK 120 million for efforts to fight hunger in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine. This support will be channelled through the World Food Programme (WFP), the largest humanitarian organisation dedicated to fighting hunger.

Speech by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at the Summit for Democracy in Seoul, South Korea, 20 March 2024. Check against delivery.

More and more children and young people are becoming involved in criminal networks, and stopping recruitment requires early interventions, knowledge-based methods and collaboration. Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer and Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall therefore hosted Nordic countries, including the autonomous regions, for a discussion about children and young people who are, or risk being, involved in crime. The meeting was held within the framework of the ongoing Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The Government has decided on a new strategy for development cooperation with the Middle East and North Africa. The strategy amounts to nearly SEK 2.3 billion (approx. EUR 230 million) distributed over four years (2024–2027). Its purpose is to support actors working for more stable and democratic development, and to counteract the root causes of irregular migration.

Sweden plans to provide SEK 77 million in humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh via Sida in 2024, an increase compared with last year. This increase in support is due to growing humanitarian needs in Bangladesh, not least in the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar.

The objective of Sweden’s international development assistance is to create preconditions for better living conditions for people living in poverty and under oppression. Internationally agreed principles on aid and development effectiveness will be applied.