Government to phase out development assistance to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia and Bolivia

In June 2025, the Government decided to reprioritise Swedish development assistance, and allocated nearly SEK 1.7 billion of the development assistance budget to additional support to Ukraine in 2025 and to life-saving humanitarian operations around the world. In light of the decision on the phase-outs ahead of 2026, the restructuring of development assistance continues in order to support Ukraine in accordance with what was announced in the Budget Bill for 2026.

– “We are at a crucial point in Europe’s history. Ukraine is under pressure, both at the negotiations table and on the front. To increase support to Ukraine we need to take tough priority decisions. Therefore, Sweden is phasing out development assistance to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia and Bolivia,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa. 

Assistance is being phased out in a responsible and orderly manner, while laying the foundation for a transformed partnership with shared trade and foreign policy interests at its core.  

Humanitarian assistance will not be affected by the phasing out of development assistance, and Sweden remains one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance in the world. Furthermore, Sweden continues to be one of the world’s largest donors in terms of long-term development cooperation around the world.

As part of the phasing out of the bilateral strategies, the embassies in Bolivia, Liberia and Zimbabwe will be closed. Diplomatic relations with these countries continue to be important, and will be managed, for example, through concurrent accreditation from other countries in their respective regions.