One of the main goals of the Tidö Government is to get countries to take their international legal responsibility and receive their citizens. In this year’s directive to the development agency Sida, it is now stipulated that aid should be used to get countries of origin to accept deportees and increase the return rate from Sweden.

The regulatory letter contains assignments and goals that Sida is to work on.

– We are to find ways to cooperate with states for effective return, says Hanna Hellquist, Deputy Director-General of Sida, regarding the new management defined in the 2026 regulatory letter, to TT.

The agency will now develop methods for development aid that are conditional on countries cooperating better with Sweden regarding returns, voluntary repatriation, and sustainable reintegration.

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In addition to migration, Sida should also, preferably, promote Swedish trade and Swedish interests in foreign and security policy with the countries Sweden is considering giving aid to.

According to Hellquist, the agency should proceed from a much more explicit mutual win-win perspective than before and notes that aid is now an integrated part of foreign policy.

Major Changes

Previously, the government announced far-reaching changes for Sida, including that the agency’s budget will be reduced by nearly one fifth. A larger share will also be handled directly by the government.

In 2026, Sida’s allocation will decrease by just over four billion SEK, and last year it was announced that aid to Bolivia, Liberia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe will be phased out, while Ukraine is made a priority.

According to Hanna Hellquist, Sida should not need to reduce staff numbers but should adapt its organization.

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