Statement on the tenth anniversary of the detention of Dawit Isaak
"The Swedish Government considers that Dawit Isaak should be released immediately," states Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt in a statement on the tenth anniversary of the detention of Swedish journalist Dawit Isaak in Eritrea.
New initiatives in development cooperation budget
The Government presents its budget for 2012 today. The SEK 35.8 billion allocated in the government budget to development assistance will go to deepening initiatives for democracy and human rights, private sector development, a concerted effort to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, increased humanitarian assistance and a higher level of ambition in the area of water and sanitation.
Outside UN headquarters in New York. Photo: UN
Prize-winners´ trip to New York - follow the pupils in Dag Hammarskjöld´s footsteps
It is now time for the six upper secondary school pupils who won the Ministry for Foreign Affairs competition in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld to experience the first prize. In the course of a few days, Agnes, Magnus, Sophie, Alva, Tekla and Rasmus will get to know the UN and New York in various ways. On Thursday, they will attend a high-level meeting in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld at which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and others will take part.
Ewa Björling to visit Canada and United States
Minister for Trade Ewa Björling will visit Ottawa on 19-20 September, where she will meet Canada's Minister of International Trade Edward Fast to discuss the current negotiations on an ambitious free trade agreement between the EU and Canada.
In Toronto, Dr Björling will take part in the seminar Innovative, Sustainable and Profitable Mining, which is being organised by the Swedish Trade Council.
In Washington the Minister for Trade will meet US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Deputy Trade Representative Miriam E. Sapiro.
EU enlargement and world economy in focus at Yalta Annual Meeting
Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt has spent two days in Yalta, Ukraine, taking part in the Yalta Annual Meeting, at which discussions have centred on EU enlargement, developments in North Africa and the world economic situation. On Saturday, Mr Bildt participated in a panel discussion on the topic "Ukraine and Turkey: Europe's China?"
"Turkey has undergone fantastic changes in recent years. Democratic reforms and economic integration with the EU have been factors in the country's success, which can and should be an inspiration to other countries in Europe," said Mr Bildt during the panel discussion.
Mr Bildt also had several meetings with other politicians attending the event. On Friday he discussed the political situation in Ukraine and the country's development of closer ties with the EU with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, together with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle and others.
Ewa Björling markets Swedish design in London
On 18 September, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling will visit London to take part in "Swedish Design Goes London", an event included in London Design Festival 2011.
"Swedish design has a good international reputation and helps to strengthen Sweden's trademark as a dynamic and exciting country where the creative industries have a central place. By taking part in London Design Festival, we are reinforcing this image even more," says Dr Björling.
EU statement on prisoners in Eritrea
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made a statement yesterday on the political prisoners in Eritrea on the tenth anniversary of their detention. In the statement, the EU urges the government in Eritrea to release these prisoners unconditionally, along with other persons detained for their political views. The EU also demands that the government in Eritrea make public all information on the whereabouts of these prisoners and to allow them access to their families and lawyers, not least on humanitarian grounds.
Panel discussion at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Photo: Linn Duvhammar, Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Sweden - an outlier in foreign policy survey
Wednesday saw the publication of the results of the Transatlantic Trends survey, in which Sweden has participated for the first time. Through interviews with over ten thousand people from 14 countries, the survey charts people's views of other nations and of foreign policy in general. The replies of the Swedish participants stood out on a number of points compared with the participants of other countries.
New British Ambassador Paul Johnston and Ministry for Foreign Affairs representative Sven Hirdman. Photo: Julia Servenius /MFA
New Ambassadors
Four new Ambassadors, from United Kingdom, Uruguay, Germany and Georgia, presented their letters of credence to H.M. The King on 16 September.
Statement of government policy presented at opening of Riksdag session
"Sweden must be a strong voice for peace, freedom and reconciliation in Europe and the world. Democracy, international law and human rights must be cornerstones of our foreign policy." These were the words of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt when he read out the part of the statement of government policy concerning Sweden´s foreign and security policy, on the occasion of the opening of the Riksdag session.
The statement of government policy lays out the Government´s policy aims for the year to come.
