Policy Updates

On June 26, 2026, Sweden increased its 2026 contribution to the Global Fund by SEK70 million (US$7 million), raising its total 2026 contribution from SEK683 million (US$68 million) to SEK753 million (US$75 million), an increase of more than 10%.

The Global Fund welcomed Sweden’s additional contribution toward the Eighth Replenishment, indicating the investment would expand access to prevention, treatment, and care for HIV, TB, and malaria with a focus on equity and reaching vulnerable populations, while strengthening health and community systems.

The Global Fund noted Sweden’s contribution will also bolster frontline health capacities in countries facing overlapping threats, including support for outbreak responses such as Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and sustain essential services where HIV, TB, and malaria remain leading causes of illness and death. the Global Fund also underscored that these investments strengthen global health security and pandemic preparedness as partner countries leverage Global Fund–supported systems

On June 25, 2026, Sweden announced SEK1.5 billion (US$150 million) to strengthen Ukraine’s energy supply ahead of winter, allocating funds to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency, and the IAEA for 2026.

The package comprises of SEK1.37 billion (US$137 million) for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, channeled through Sida for urgent repairs and new energy production; SEK100 million (US$10 million) for the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency to provide staff, transport, procurement, and material such as generators and batteries; and SEK20 million (US$2 million) for the IAEA to enhance nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. Sweden stated the support responded to extensive Russian attacks on Ukraine’s grid and power plants during the prior winter.

On June 15, 2026, Sweden announced SEK120 million (US$12.6 million) to WHO, focusing on the ongoing Ebola outbreak via strengthened global health security and scaled up emergency operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa stated the contribution was intended to bolster a rapid response to contain the outbreak and save lives. Meanwhile, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed said the WHO’s coordinating role was central to the response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that the funding would help the organization expand operations in affected countries.

On June 15, 2026, Sweden announced SEK30 million (US$3 million) for 2026-2028 from the Swedish ODA budget, including SEK17 million (US$2 million) for 2026, to support democratic development, civil society, and independent media in Eastern Europe, with a focus on reducing Russian influence and strengthening ties with the EU.

The Swedish government said the package will support well-established civil society organizations in Europe and strengthen democratic development in Eastern European countries, targeting civil society and independent media as key components of democratic resilience.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa said democracy in Sweden’s neighborhood remains a major foreign and security policy priority and that Sweden will continue long-term support for Eastern European countries seeking democratic development, independence from Russian influence, and closer relations with the EU.

On April 20, 2026, Sweden announced an additional SEK70 million (US$7.7 million) in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, bringing Sweden's total targeted humanitarian assistance to Lebanon to SEK135 million (US$14.8 million) in 2026.

The additional funding was provided in light of the continued deterioration of Lebanon's humanitarian situation. Of the new allocation, SEK24 million (US$2.6 million) came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SEK46 million (US$5.1 million) from abbr:SIDA. Sweden had previously announced a SEK65 million (US$7.2 million) humanitarian support package on March 14, 2026, the day after the UN launched its emergency humanitarian appeal for Lebanon.

The assistance focuses on the most vulnerable, providing displaced persons with access to collective emergency housing, hot meals, emergency medical care, and psychosocial support. The funding complements Sweden's core support to the International Red Cross Movement and several abbr:UN organizations operating in Lebanon.

On April 20, 2026, Sweden announced a new support package of SEK15.4 million (US$1.7 million) for 2026–2028 focused on democracy and cultural heritage preservation in Ukraine.

Of the total, SEK8.7 million (US$1.0 million) was allocated for 2026. The democracy support component included SEK3 million (US$330,000) to the National Democratic Institute, SEK900,000 (US$99,000) to the Council of Europe, and SEK1.5 million (US$165,000) to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights for 2026. The cultural heritage component included SEK10 million (US$1.1 million) to Gotlands Museum for 2026–2028.

Sweden stated the package built on its long-term efforts to strengthen Ukraine's resilience and democratic development.

On March 23, 2026, the Swedish government announced a SEK240 million (US$26 million) support package for Ukraine in 2026, channeling SEK150 million (US$17 million) to the Ukrainian Red Cross for humanitarian operations, with remaining funds directed to children's needs through the WFP, UNICEF, OperationAid, and Gen.Ukrainian.

The package prioritizes children's needs, supporting school food provision in frontline areas, reforms for family-based care of children, and children's mental health. Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa stated that the package combined urgent humanitarian assistance with strategic contributions to help children in war-affected areas.

The largest share of the package — SEK150 million (US$17 million) — went to the Ukrainian Red Cross, the country's largest humanitarian organization, to conduct humanitarian operations. Additional funding was directed to the WFP, UNICEF, OperationAid, and Gen.Ukrainian. Support to the WFP, OperationAid, and Gen.Ukrainian aimed to ensure school food access for children near the frontline, while funding to UNICEF focused on strengthening Ukraine's reforms for family-based care of children.

On March 23, 2025, the Swedish government announced a SEK555 million (US$61 million) humanitarian assistance package for Gaza in 2026, directing funds to UNICEF, WFP, and UNDP to improve children's access to health care, education, nutrition, and shelter.

The package targets children and families still facing a humanitarian crisis more than five months after a ceasefire came into effect. Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa stated that virtually all schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed and that health care for children remained extremely limited. The package aims to provide around 150,000 children with improved health care, enable around 50,000 children to return to education, provide 80,000 children with nutrition initiatives in the form of school meals, and allow around 1,000 families to move into temporary emergency shelters.

The largest share of the package, SEK400 million (US$44 million), went to UNICEF to improve child health care services, including neonatal care, and to support children's return to education through temporary learning centers offering psychosocial support and protection measures. Meanwhile, WFP received SEK100 million (US$11 million) to provide school meals and support local food production. and UNDP received SEK55 million (US$6 million) to enable 1,000 families to move into temporary shelters.

On March 8, 2026, International Women's Day, Sweden announced more than SEK71 million (US$8 million) to support women's and girls' resilience in Ukraine through UNFPA and UN Women, with Minister for International Development Cooperation and Trade Benjamin Dousa and Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson leading the announcement.

The support will contribute to psychosocial support for women and girls, improved maternal care, and protection for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Dousa emphasized Ukrainian women's role as the backbone of the country's civilian resilience since Russia's full-scale invasion, while Larsson stated that gender equality is a matter of defense and security and that supporting Ukrainian women is a moral imperative.

On February 24, 2026, Sweden announced SEK230 million (US$25 million) in humanitarian support to Ukraine, to address urgent needs for heating, water, shelter, and food through WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, ICRC, and Save the Children.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa stated that Russia attacked civilian infrastructure on an unprecedented scale during the winter, forcing families to choose between leaving their homes or risking their lives in freezing conditions without electricity in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and other cities. Additionally, UNHCR reported that hundreds of thousands of people could be forced to flee in the coming months if the situation did not improve.

The support package will be distributed as follows:

• SEK75 million (US$8 million) each to WFP and UNHCR;
• SEK65 million (US$7 million) to UNICEF;
• SEK10 million (US$1.1 million) to the ICRC;
• and SEK5 million (US$550,000) to Save the Children.

The organizations will focus on food security, temporary accommodation, children's education, primary healthcare, and mental health support in frontline areas and regions with the greatest needs.