New FBA mission – promote human security in southern Africa

Photo: Eddy Mbuyi/Oxfam

The Swedish government has decided upon a new development cooperation strategy for Africa south of the Sahara. The FBA is commissioned to contribute to human security in the region. It is the fourth Swedish development aid strategy the FBA is commissioned to contribute to, and the first regional strategy.

The new Swedish strategy for Africa south of the Sahara aims at strengthening the capacity to meet challenges at the regional level. The strategy focuses on democracy/gender equality/ human rights, environmental issues/climate change, human security/freedom from violence and inclusive economic growth/trade.

– Armed conflict knows no boundaries and conflict resolution requires regional cooperation. The FBA is now initiating a long-term engagement in collaboration with the African Union (AU), among others, in order to promote peacebuilding and human security in Africa south of the Sahara, says Sven-Eric Söder, Director-General at the FBA.

An average of 450 million SEK per year 2016–2020 is allocated to southern Africa from the Swedish development cooperation budget; a total of 2.7 billion SEK. The strategy will be implemented by the FBA and Sida, the Swedish International Development Agency.

Besides the new strategy for Africa south of the Sahara the FBA is commissioned to contribute to three other Swedish development aid strategies; the strategy for Mali, the strategy for Liberia and the strategy for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The strategy for southern Africa is the first regional strategy that the FBA will be working with.

– The fact that the FBA is commissioned by the Swedish government to contribute to a growing number of Swedish development aid strategies shows that we are an actor of increasing importance within the Swedish development cooperation and within issues concerning peace, security and development, Sven-Eric Söder says.

Working for peace in the shadow of a frozen conflict

Since 2008, the European Union Monitoring Mission EUMM has been a constant presence in Georgia. With the mandate to monitor the ceasefire and prevent the conflict between Georgia and Russia from reigniting, the mission works to promote stability and security – and to help ensure a safer daily life for the people affected.

2025-08-26 12:45

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