A small nation of just over 10 million people punches well above its weight when it comes to investing in, and delivering, aid. This has been Sweden’s story for over half a century. It’s been a surprising turn of events then that the Nordic country has decided to throw away the development gold standard that it set for itself, and for the rest of the world, joining the growing list of countries cutting aid.
Sweden became the very first country in the world to meet the UN’s target of spending 0.7% of its gross national income (GNI) on foreign aid all the way back in 1975, consistently hovering around 1% since then. That’s a benchmark that most countries have never once met. That’s all to say, Swedish diplomacy, humanitarian leadership, and reputation as a go-to multilateral partner is part of its global identity. Now, that legacy is officially under strain.
In late 2025, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, Benjamin Dousa, announced that the government will completely phase out aid to five countries — Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bolivia — as part of a sweeping budget overhaul. Three Swedish embassies in Bolivia, Liberia, and Zimbabwe will also shutter for good. The reclaimed funds will be redirected to Ukraine instead, ramping Swedish support there to at least SEK 10 billion (roughly USD $1 billion).
“The money has to come from somewhere to balance the budget,” Dousa explained, promising that the phase-out would be carried out in a “responsible and orderly manner.” But advocates on the front line worry about how that will be possible.
With so much on the line, Sweden’s upcoming elections this autumn have a lot at stake. Let’s dive into the political scene in this northern corner of the world.
The Scale of the Shift
The numbers tell a stark story. Country-by-country, in 2024 Sweden contributed around $85 million to Mozambique, $57 million to Tanzania, $37 million to Liberia, $36 million to Zimbabwe, and $17 million to Bolivia. Those numbers will each wind down to zero by the end of 2026.
Putting these numbers in context is even more sobering. Swedish aid to Africa is projected to fall by 57% between 2021 and 2026 Multilateral funding is also on the chopping block. Its support for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) is set to decline by 92%. Contributions to climate adaptation funds meanwhile, which previously received hundreds of millions of krona annually, will be fully terminated. And the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) now faces budget cuts of about 20%.
The current government wants these funds to instead go to “aid for trade” initiatives, security, and reducing migration flows — primarily by dedicating 20% of total Swedish aid to Ukraine alone.
This latest announcement is far from an isolated incident. It’s a trend that’s been building for years. In 2022, Sweden already cut aid to more than 10 countries. The government’s 1% GNI aid target was also formally abolished that year. Now Sweden’s aid levels are projected to fall to 0.68% of GNI by 2028 — the first time in over 50 years it will dip below the UN’s minimum threshold. What’s more is that in 2024, the government shocked Swedish nonprofits it had partnered with by terminating all funding agreements with them, choking off a crucial avenue it had traditionally disbursed aid.
It’s worth remembering what one European Commission official said back in 2022 after hearing about the direction Sweden was taking: “One of the good ones lost.” Focusing on security and domestic over international issues mirrors shifts seen elsewhere in Europe, including the UK, Germany, and France. This latest update indicates it’ll be a long road back to becoming one of the ‘good ones’ again.
What Swedish Aid Actually Does
Nearly half of Sweden’s health aid historically has been directed toward sexual and reproductive health and rights. That includes funding essential contraception access, sex education, HIV prevention and treatment, and efforts to end child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). Through its partnership with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Sweden has helped 270,000 girls avoid FGM and enabled 2.4 million safe childbirths in conflict-affected areas.
Across Africa, Swedish aid has historically made a major impact. Channeled through Sida, Sweden has supported efforts to strengthen democracy, human rights, gender equality, and sustainable economic growth. A prominent example of this work in action is the funding of projects to turbocharge a renewable energy transition. In one year, Sida helped more than one million people across the African continent gain access to clean cooking tech, avoiding 690,000 tons of CO2 and preventing respiratory illnesses.
The government has stressed that humanitarian aid and critical health interventions, or “the things that literally save lives,” as Dousa put it, will remain unaffected. But it’s far from clear how the line between humanitarian and development aid will be cleanly delineated. Meanwhile, some advocates argue that dismantling long-term partnerships in the name of short-term wins can unravel years of progress.
Sweden’s Elections on the Horizon
Swedish citizens head to the polls in 2026, and development policy has quietly become one of the most charged, polarizing topics at hand. The current center-right minority coalition government has framed aid as overly ideological, ineffective, and misaligned with domestic interests at home. On the other hand, opposition parties argue that the cuts are shortsighted at best. If Sweden steps back from the global stage, it weakens its ability to shape systems, build partnerships, and promote the values it has championed for decades.
And what does the Swedish public think about all this? They may be more sympathetic to the latter arguments than the government may have anticipated. Recent polling shows that four in ten Swedes support restoring aid to 1% of GNI, a figure that has doubled in just a few months. Among Social Democratic voters, the sentiment’s even stronger: 60% want aid levels ratcheted back where they were, with one in three calling for that change to happen immediately.
Evidently, the story isn’t over. Public opinion can continue to shift. The opposition parties are mobilizing, and with elections coming up fast, the window to course-correct Sweden’s direction is very much open.
Your Voice Can Help Write the Next Chapter
Sweden’s story is a reminder of how quickly hard-won progress can be reversed when it comes to aid, and how much is at stake when wealthy nations walk away from the global commitments. But it could also stand as proof that public pressure can shift a government’s political calculus.
Swedish citizens, and anyone from around the world, can make their voices heard directly. You can message Swedish Members of Parliament and urge them to change course.
Write to Minister Dousa to call on the government to stand by its development commitments, or reach out to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson to make it clear that development aid isn’t money wasted. It’s an investment in building the kind of world we all want to live in, one that’s stable, secure, and keeps everyone safe no matter what.
People’s futures around the world will be determined by decisions being made right now in Stockholm. But Global Citizens can push back. Stuck on where to start? Here are a few templates to get you going. Make sure Sweden’s leaders hear from you.
Contact information for ministers can be found on the Swedish Government website here.
Message Benjamin Dousa, Minister for Development Cooperation
Subject: Safeguard Sweden's global leadership
Sweden has long been a global leader in development and humanitarian action. With aid levels projected to fall below 0.7% of GNI for the first time in over 50 years, I urge you to safeguard Sweden’s global leadership and legacy. Strong global engagement strengthens Sweden’s security, economy, and moral standing throughout the world.
Message to Morgan Johansson, MP for Swedish Social Democratic Party
Subject: Return to the 1% aid target
I am writing to encourage you to articulate a clear and ambitious commitment to restoring Sweden’s development assistance to the 1% of GNI target. This is a critical moment to reaffirm Sweden’s historic role as a reliable and values-driven development partner. Reaffirming that ambition ahead of the 2026 elections will help restore confidence in Sweden’s global leadership.
Message to Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister of Finance
Subject: Return to the 1% aid target
Development cooperation is not only a budget line. It is a strategic investment in stability, trade, and long-term economic development. Investments in poverty reduction, climate resilience, and education help prevent instability, forced migration, and conflict. I urge you to safeguard Sweden’s development commitments as part of a coherent security and foreign policy strategy.