Sweden’s right-wing government announced Friday it will end development aid to four African nations and Bolivia to redirect funds to Ukraine.
Development Aid Minister Benjamin Dousa said embassies in Bolivia, Liberia, and Zimbabwe, focused on aid, will also be closed next year.
The government plans to raise Ukraine support to at least 10 billion kronor, nearly 20 percent of Sweden’s total foreign aid budget.
Over the past 25 years, Sweden provided more than 50 billion kronor in aid to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Liberia, he added.
Dousa insisted humanitarian aid will continue, and said the move aligns with the priorities of the minority government backed by Sweden Democrats.
Sweden, a generous donor since the 1970s, has already ended development aid to Iraq and is linking aid to migration management efforts.
Aid will be prioritised to countries near conflict zones to receive migrants, and recipients must repatriate nationals convicted of crimes in Sweden.
Dousa criticised past aid as scattered, saying Swedish support often lacked oversight and sometimes failed to produce meaningful development outcomes.
He highlighted Tanzania, which received over 70 billion kronor since 1962, citing a 2016 report showing minimal or even negative effects on poverty.
The minister argued long-term aid had fostered “aid addiction” in several countries, reducing incentives for domestic reforms and economic progress.
Sweden’s decision signals a strategic shift from broad global aid to targeted support, emphasising accountability and national priorities over tradition.