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Demokratiskolan
The Foreign aid card from MethodKit for Society and Politics
Card 10 of 128 · MethodKit for Society & Politics
  • AreaSweden in the world
  • Centre of gravityCentral government
  • Points of influence3 on the journey
  • Decisive electionThe general election
Sweden in the world

Foreign aid

Providing or receiving help

Foreign aid is the part of the central government budget meant to do good beyond Sweden's borders: emergency help in disasters and long-term support for fighting poverty, for democracy and for the climate. The money is your tax money, the decisions are made by the Riksdag and the Government, and the agency Sida does the work. That makes the general election aid's most important election.

Where does the power lie?1

  • State · the whole aid chain · approx 85 %
  • EU · joint eu aid · approx 15 %

Aid is almost entirely national: the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament) sets the frame, the Government (the cabinet) steers the direction and Sida carries it out. Some is channelled through the EU and the UN, but accountability is exercised in the general election.

How it works: the breakdown

The municipalityOutside the remit
The regionNo role of its own
Central governmentThe whole chain · centre of gravity
Who decides?
No formal role in aid policy. The municipal executive board can decide on international partnerships.
No formal role in aid.
The Riksdag decides the frame, the Government and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD) set the strategies, Sida allocates the money to organisations and programmes.
What do they decide?
Municipal partnerships on democracy and administration with municipalities in other countries, often funded by central government aid money.
Some regions take part in international exchanges within healthcare and administration, but that is not aid policy.
Humanitarian support, long-term development cooperation and contributions through UN bodies, the EU and civil society.
Where are decisions made?
In the municipal executive board and in the administrations that take part in the exchanges.
In the regional executive board, insofar as the questions are dealt with at all.
In the government budget bill, in the Government's strategies and in Sida's decisions on initiatives.
Who pays?
The partnerships are paid for mainly by central government aid money, not by the municipal tax.
Nothing from aid.
The central government budget, that is, your tax. Sida reports openly where the money goes.
Fastest way in?
Municipal election Ask whether your municipality takes part in international partnerships, or raise the idea through a council member.
Regional election No direct way in here: aid is decided at the national level.
General election The general election steers the size and direction of aid. Get involved in an aid organisation.
EUPart of Swedish aid goes through the EU, which together with the member states is one of the world's largest donors. Shaped in the European Parliament election.

Read the table by column to understand one level, or by row to compare the levels. The green level is the area's centre of gravity.

How it works: follow the decision

The case An aid krona: from the central government budget to a well
  1. State

    The Riksdag sets the frame

    In the government budget bill the Government proposes how much Sweden is to spend on international aid, and the Riksdag decides. The frame is one of the budget's most debated items.

    Point of influence

    The general election decides both the sum and the direction. The parties' aid policy can be compared before the election.

  2. State

    The Government points out the direction

    The Ministry for Foreign Affairs writes strategies for countries and themes: democracy, health, climate. Sida receives its mandate through its appropriation directions and strategies, and is then to turn the words into action.

  3. State

    Sida chooses the initiatives

    Sida allocates the money: to UN bodies, international funds, Swedish civil society organisations and programmes in partner countries. Every initiative is followed up and reported openly.

    Point of influence

    Many Swedish organisations channel aid. As a member, volunteer or donor you help carry the system.

  4. EU

    Part of it goes via Brussels

    Sweden also contributes to the EU's joint aid, which is negotiated by the member states and the European Parliament and reaches countries where Sweden is not present.

    Point of influence

    In the European Parliament election you choose the parliament that helps decide the EU's aid budget.

  5. Your everyday life

    The hundred-krona note on your tax statement

    A small part of your tax goes to aid. The well in another country, the vaccination programme, the election observers: it all began with a Riksdag decision that you helped shape.

The journey looks the same in reverse: what has been built came the same way, through the same decisions. Whoever knows where the decisions are made also knows where they can be changed.

Questions to discuss

  1. How much of the central government budget do you think should go to aid, and what do you base that on?

  2. What matters most: fast disaster relief or long-term development that only shows results in twenty years?

  3. Should aid set conditions on the recipient countries, and if so, which?

  4. Sweden gives both directly and via the UN and the EU. What advantages and disadvantages do you see with each route?

  5. How do you as a taxpayer know that aid does good, and which scrutiny do you trust?

Glossary

Sida
The agency that carries out most of Swedish aid on the Government's behalf.
Regleringsbrev
The Government's annual instruction to an agency about its mandate and money.
Biståndsstrategi
The Government's steering document for aid to a particular country or theme.
Humanitärt bistånd
Emergency help in war and disasters, as distinct from long-term development cooperation.
Multilateralt bistånd
Aid that goes via international organisations such as the UN instead of directly between two countries.

Go further

Footnotes

1) This is an estimate of how decision-making power over the issue is split between the municipality, the region, central government and the EU, based on how responsibility is divided in legislation. A teaching guide, not an exact measurement.