Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM478
2009-07-31 12:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:  

SWEDISH ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN TO INCREASE TO

Tags:  EAID PREL MOPS MARR AF SW 
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VZCZCXRO1229
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0478/01 2121237
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 311237Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4585
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0101
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STOCKHOLM 000478 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2019
TAGS: EAID PREL MOPS MARR AF SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN TO INCREASE TO
USD 67.1 MILLION BY 2011

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 477

B. STOCKHOLM 462

C. STATE 74362

D. STOCKHOLM 460 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STOCKHOLM 000478

SIPDIS

STATE FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2019
TAGS: EAID PREL MOPS MARR AF SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN TO INCREASE TO
USD 67.1 MILLION BY 2011

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 477

B. STOCKHOLM 462

C. STATE 74362

D. STOCKHOLM 460 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Embassy Stockholm has obtained an internal
Swedish-language copy of a Swedish Foreign Ministry report on
its Afghanistan aid program announced in a July 9 press
release but which is still not available to the general
public. This is the second in a series of cables detailing
this report. Please protect accordingly. Swedish Minister
for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson
announced Sweden's new long-term aid strategy for Afghanistan
for the period 2009-2013. The new strategy states that
Sweden's presence in Afghanistan will be persistent,
long-term and well-coordinated, but that it is important not
to mix "peace-keeping efforts" with development. Swedish
assistance over the nearly five-year period will be as
follows:

- 2009: USD 53.3 million

- 2010: USD 56.1 million

- 2011-2013: USD 66.7 million annually.


2. (C) The new strategy will focus on democracy, human
rights, education, private business, capacity building in the
legal and security sectors, and improving the situation of
women and girls. Sweden will increase its aid efficiency by
improving coordination with other donors, conducting better
follow-up analyses, and strengthening Afghan ownership and
capacity. Carlsson also stated that some 25 percent of the
volume will be earmarked for the four northern provinces in
Afghanistan where Sweden leads a provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT). Sweden has also decided to increase the number
of civilian advisers in the PRT. End Summary.

Challenges in Afghanistan
--------------


3. (C) The report states that Sweden's development efforts in
Afghanistan are challenged by the international military
presence, poor donor coordination, and the abundance of
actors in all areas of the country. Sweden believes it is
important not to mix peace-keeping efforts with development,

a position that the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (Sida) has long championed. Sweden
considers itself to be a relatively small donor in the
overall Afghanistan aid picture, and will therefore seek
greater cooperation with other donors through mutual channels
and areas where Sweden can provide added value, according to
the new strategy. The government will strive to have a
well-coordinated, concentrated aid portfolio in Afghanistan
consisting of a few major efforts that can be complemented by
smaller, more flexible strategic efforts. Swedish assistance
over the nearly five-year period will increase from USD 53.3
million in 2009 to USD 56.1 million in 2010 and then to USD
66.7 million annually from 2011 through 2013.


Increased Aid Efficiency
--------------


4. (C) On July 9, the Swedish government announced a new
long-term aid strategy for Afghanistan. Swedish Minister for
International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson told
journalists that Swedish development cooperation will focus
on democracy and human rights, the education sector and
business sector development in the period 2009-2013.
Carlsson stressed that Sweden would use every opportunity to
improve the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. She
commented that Sweden will increase its aid efficiency by
strengthening the roll of the United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); improving coordination with
other donors, conducting better follow-up analyses, and
strengthening Afghan ownership and capacity.


5. (C) Swedish government assistance seeks to develop the
capacity of all local actors, so that Afghanis will be able
to continue reform efforts if the international donor
community decreases its presence in Afghanistan. Sweden will
continue to provide aid through multilateral channels and
cooperate with national and local administrations, civil

STOCKHOLM 00000478 002 OF 003


society and the private sector. As part of its effort to
increase the efficiency of Swedish aid, the government also
plans to conduct annual follow-ups and a minimum of one major
audit during the five-year period. Sweden plans to intensify
its cooperation with the World Bank through the Afghanistan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and continue to coordinate
with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
(UNAMA),UNDP (democratic governance),UNICEF (education),
UNIFEM (equality) and UNOPS (transportation). The Swedish
government will also try to cooperate more effectively with
the other Nordic countries to achieve greater synergies, and
would like to increase cooperation with USAID and the
European Commission.

Better Donor Coordination
--------------


6. (C) The Swedish government has singled out "donor
crowding," poor coordination, weak Afghan ownership and
commitment, as well as fragmented assistance efforts as being
the major obstacles to proving effective assistance. Sweden
seeks to improve coordination with other donors, including
UNAMA. The government also wants to conduct more effective
follow-ups and audits of assistance efforts, as well as
examine how well the Afghanistan Compact and the Afghanistan
National Development Strategy (ANDS) are being implemented.
The new Swedish aid strategy will place a greater emphasis on
coordinating efforts with other donor actors and countries
and on increasing Afghani ownership and leadership in the aid
process.


7. (C) Sweden will seek a good balance between efforts that
yield quick and tangible results for the poor and long-term
efforts that strive to build capacity and strengthen
institutions. This will require a well-coordinated and
concentrated portfolio consisting of a few major efforts
complemented by smaller, more flexible strategic efforts.
The new strategy singles out the development of democratic
institutions and processes, such as elections, Parliament,
local and central administration, anti-corruption measures
and transparency as additional key elements of Sweden's
Afghanistan aid policy. The government has tasked the Folke
Bernadotte Academy with developing and presenting suggestions
for capacity-building measures to the government, the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the
Swedish Embassy in Kabul. Sida will decide which efforts to
undertake and fund them, while the Folke Bernadotte Academy
will implement the measures, primarily in northern
Afghanistan. Sida seeks to strengthen its aid-related
administrative system to permit a greater degree of
decision-making in the field. Sida also intends to make
greater use of the returning Afghan Diaspora, which Sida
believes is a major resource that has not been sufficiently
utilized

Areas of Focus
--------------


8. (C) Swedish aid will work to improve the human rights
situation of women and girls in three main areas: sexual and
reproductive health and rights; female civic engagement and
influence; and gender-related violence. To achieve this,
Sweden will provide greater access to quality education for
women and girls at the local and central levels. Sweden is
also considering funding programs to help physically
challenged females and males attend school and improve the
ability of adults, especially women, to read and write.
Teacher education will also be examined in the new strategy.
Sweden also intends to focus on developing a strong and
varied private business sector by creating conditions
favorable to promoting micro-entrepreneurs and small
enterprises. Assistance will also aim at encouraging women
to enter business whenever possible. These programs will
focus on rural areas and agriculturally based activities,
promote market development and improve the capacity of the
Afghanistan business sector. The new strategy will
strengthen the dialogue between private business and public
administration and target risk groups, such as young men, to
prevent conflict from spreading and counter recruiting by
criminal elements. Sweden will examine the possibility of
providing support for mine clearance and explosive ordinance
disposal operations, as well as for preparations for
catastrophes. The Swedish government controls humanitarian
assistance and expects Sida's humanitarian efforts to be
rapid, predictable, flexible and needs-based.


STOCKHOLM 00000478 003 OF 003



9. (C) Sweden will not provide any general budget support
during the five-year period. Any increase in assistance in
this area will be channeled through the ARTF. Sweden will
evaluate its fund for smaller efforts in northern Afghanistan
that the Swedish embassy in Kabul co-manages with the
Swedish-led PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif and possibly increase it if
the evaluation shows that it has been effective. The
government also plans to establish a similar fund for locally
decided efforts throughout Afghanistan.


10. (C) Comment: U.S. and Swedish aid programs share many of
the same challenges in Afghanistan, including the need to
provide more Afghanis with tangible reconstruction and
governance results. Post expects Sweden to seek closer
cooperation with the U.S. regarding assistance to
Afghanistan. Sweden is the world's largest donor as a
percentage of Gross Domestic Product, and has approximately
450 troops in Afghanistan and some 10 police officers in
EURPOL. Our Swedish interlocutors have told post that Sweden
wants to do more in Afghanistan, and Foreign Minister Carl
Bildt recently stated publicly that the EU can play a
stronger role in Afghanistan, an issue that Bildt said he
intends to pursue with the EU during the Swedish Presidency.
SILVERMAN