Statement of Foreign Policy 2011
What should Swedish foreign policy look like? The foreign policy debate is held in the Riksdag each year and traditionally begins with the Minister for Foreign Affairs presenting the Statement of Government Policy on Foreign Affairs - a programmatic declaration setting out visions for Sweden's work in the world. This year, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt presented, among other issues, Sweden's view on the EU's future, the situation regarding human rights and international crises, as well as development assistance, trade and climate policy.
Read the entire Statement of Foreign Policy via the link on the right. Some of the challenges mentioned in the speech include:
- Strengthening the EU as an attentive, powerful and responsible actor. The EU must be the voice of freedom and the power of democracy
- Working for open societies and open economies in North Africa, upholding Internet freedom
- Developing the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership
- Swedish candidature for the UN Human Rights Council
- Swedish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council
- Transferring Swedish operations in Afghanistan to civilian leadership in 2012
- Working for global growth and free trade
- Ensuring ambitious development policy and generous development assistance
- Special development assistance focus on women, children and young people
- Working for an international system for mobilising support when humanitarian crises strike
- Securing the flows that power globalisation, for example trade, information and traffic
- Countering the negative flows, for example organised crime and human trafficking
- Working for clear climate commitments ahead of the Durban negotiations
- Upholding freedom and security on the Internet pushing for international dialogue
