Together with 10 other organizations, MyRight has sent an open letter to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Johan Forsell, about the Joint Commitments for strengthened dialogue and cooperation within development cooperation (GÅ) and aid for civil society actors.
Dear Johan Forssell,
We, the signatory organizations, first want to say that we look forward to constructive talks regarding Sweden's various presidency roles and welcome the priorities for democracy, climate, gender equality and the principles of the rule of law, which the government continues to explicitly want to protect.
The government has announced a reform agenda for aid with a focus on the long term, transparency and efficiency. We would like to call on the government to carry out such a reform in a transparent manner in accordance with the Joint Commitments for Strengthened Dialogue and Cooperation in Development Cooperation (GÅ), where the government undertakes, among other things, to:
- Create space for civil society organizations to engage in dialogue and develop the exchange of information with the government on various issues.
- In good time, inform the civil society organizations concerned about planned or ongoing processes of greater importance within Swedish development cooperation.
- Consult with relevant civil society organizations before overall and principled decisions about the Swedish aid policy.
Long-termism, transparency and efficiency are areas that Sweden has pursued for decades and which the government will be able to pursue through the presidency of the Global Partnership for Development Effectiveness (GPEDC). When Sweden draws up a reform agenda, it must build on established knowledge of what leads to results and start from commitments already made. That is, the principles for effective development cooperation:
1) Inclusive national ownership
2) Focus on results
3) Inclusive partnership
4) Transparency and mutual accountability.
According to the minister, Swedish aid must be used to promote Swedish exports. It is contrary to international principles and experience on what constitutes effective aid. If the aid is tied to the donor country's exports, OECD research has found that the costs for the recipients increase by 15–30 percent. It is not a modern and efficient way of using aid funds.
Furthermore, other question marks remain, for example the government expresses in the financial plan (p.27) that:
"the proportion of aid that is channeled via civil society must increase in places where civil society effectively carries out priority activities." This needs to be clarified and we look forward to an open and transparent dialogue about what is meant.
A unanimous Riksdag decided in 2003 on policies for global development and that all policy areas must contribute to a fair and sustainable global development where the perspective of rights and the perspective of poor people are put at the center. Since Agenda 2030 was added, the previous government produced a policy framework for development policy in 2016. This was done in a consultative process and with a clear referral procedure. Consulting with civil society has long been an important element in the Swedish political decision-making process and is a way of fulfilling the preparation requirement in the form of government. We, the undersigned organizations, request the same clear process and timetable for how the consultation with civil society should take place and ask the government, when will consultation with civil society take place?
We have great understanding that those affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine need Sweden's support. But the focus on the immediate area may come at the expense of other regions and crises. Not since the end of the Second World War have so many people been displaced in the world.
Hunger, poverty and conflicts are increasing in the world and climate and natural crises are escalating. Globally, 828 million people live today in hunger and of them 345 million are acutely hungry. If other donor countries follow Sweden's example of the proximity principle, this type of crisis will worsen, which will lead to instability and increased migration.
Finally, how the priorities should be made is not transparent to us and we request more communication and more dialogue with the government at an early stage.
Please,
Eva Ekelund, deputy director Act Swedish Church
Anna Stenvinkel, Secretary General ForumCiv
Martin Nihlgård, Secretary General IM, Individual Human Help
Jesper Hansén, general secretary MyRight
Karin Lexén, Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Anna Sundström, Secretary General Olof Palme International Center
Niclas Lindgren, director PMU
Charlotta Norrby, Secretary General Swedish Mission Council
Maria Nyberg, General Secretary Union to Union
Gustaf Lind, Secretary General WWF
Anna Tibblin, General Secretary We Effect
