advertorial:

New SWE strategy for Mozambique

22 September, 2008

STOCKHOLM. The Swedish government has adopted a new strategy for development cooperation with Mozambique for the period 2008-2012. The appropriation for Mozambique will amount to 750 million SEK per year.

"Women's participation in political and economic life is a prerequisite for sustainable future development in Mozambique. This is why the role of women is central to Swedish support in the strategy for development cooperation with Mozambique that the Government adopted today," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson, in a press release on September 12.

The objective of the strategy is to reduce absolute poverty by promoting the democratic development of society and fast, sustainable and broad economic growth. A special emphasis will be placed on the situation of women and children.

Sweden's cooperation with Mozambique aims to help the country implement its own development strategy and builds on Sweden's policy for global development, together with the Swedish Government's three thematic priorities - democracy and human rights, environment and climate, and gender equality and the role of women in development. Cooperation will focus on three sectors - democratic governance, agriculture and energy. In addition to this, support will be given to domestic research.

For many years now, Mozambique has been one of the major recipients of Swedish development assistance. Since the mid-1990s, absolute poverty in Mozambique has decreased by almost 20 per cent. However, Mozambique remains one of the world's poorest countries. This is why it is important for Sweden to continue to provide extensive support to the country.