Swedish Address to the Second Regional Conference for South East Europe

Chairman, excellencies, ladies, gentlemen and friends.

A thanks to the Rumanian hosts and the World Bank, EU and the Stability Pact for convening this meeting.

The Swedish development co-operation with the Balkans comprises some 65 M USD in 2001 and will most probably increase further the years to come.

Prioritised sectors set forth by the Swedish Government in country strategies for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, FRY and the Kosovo region are mainly Human Rights and Democracy, Institutional Building, Integrated Area Development projects, Health, Culture, Gender, Local Institutional Building, Private Sector Development, Agriculture, Environment and Infrastructure.

The regional approach is always a determining factor in planning and selecting interventions.

A conservative estimate gives us that more than 1/3 of the total of Swedish assistance is directly linked to Stability Pact projects.

A breakdown of these interventions and amounts of dollars paid and in working tables of the Stability Pact is specified in attachment "Sida Assistance Bucharest". A summary of all Swedish assistance to the Balkans is given in attachment "EVB budget 2001" and has been mailed to the World Bank as usual. An information pamphlet is also available at the secretariat.

Among many other important projects presently being planned or implemented, relating to working table II of the Stability Pact, let me in summary mention Investment Compact, eSEEurope, IPKO (Internet Project Kosovo) and also the Study on Trade in Services in South East Europe.

The Swedish activities are aligned with the goals of the Stability Pact, we aim at reinforcing regional structures and promoting co-operation among the Balkan countries also in the years to come.

Thank you!

Attachments:

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Assistance to Western Balkans (pdf, 15 KB)

Swedish Assistance to Western Balkans since 1991 (EVB Budget 2001) (MS Excel, 780 KB)