Sida's Director-General Forced to Step Down

Sida’s Director-General Jakob Granit is being forced to resign from his position, the government announced in a press release on Thursday. However, Granit, who took up the post in September 2023, will have a soft landing – instead, he will become Director-General at the Government Offices.

“The government, after consulting with Director-General Jakob Granit, has decided that he will leave his current assignment and instead become Director-General at the Government Offices,” the government writes.

Sida’s current Deputy Director-General, Hanna Hellquist, will take over as acting Director-General when Granit leaves his post on Friday. The government highlights that Granit has made important contributions during his time at the agency.

“Jakob Granit has made significant contributions during his time at Sida, by initiating the agency’s restructuring work in line with the government’s reform agenda for aid,” it also says in the press release.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa (M), comments on the decision for Granit to leave his post as Director-General at Sida.

– We have, in agreement with Jakob Granit, decided that he will leave his assignment. Right now, the largest reorganization of Swedish aid in modern times is underway. He has made significant contributions, but for the next step in the reform process, the overall assessment is that it needs to be led by someone else, the minister tells Expressen.

The government and Sida do not wish to further comment on the reasons behind the decision but emphasize that Granit will continue to contribute his experience in new assignments within the Government Offices.

The government, however, does not intend to let go of what it calls ‘his competence,’ but rather wants to use it to shape the future Swedish aid architecture.