Sweden to end development aid to Myanmar by 2026 to bolster support for Ukraine

Sweden will phase out all development aid to Myanmar by mid-2026 as part of a major shift in its foreign assistance strategy to prioritise support for Ukraine, the Swedish government announced on Wednesday. The decision comes amid what Stockholm described as “deteriorating conditions” for development cooperation in Myanmar following the military’s 2021 coup, which plunged the country into political and economic turmoil. “Ukraine is Europe’s foremost line of defence, protecting both their own freedom and ours,” Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, said in a statement. “The realignment of Swedish aid is therefore more critical than ever. With this decision, the government continues its efforts to phase out several strategies in an orderly manner to create room for even stronger support for Ukraine.” Under Sweden’s current 2024–2026 aid strategy for Myanmar, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has been allocated up to SEK 175 million (US$16 million) in 2025 and SEK 140 million ($13 million) in 2026 to meet existing agreements before support is wound down. The 2024–2026 Myanmar strategy describes Sweden’s goal as helping build “a democratic, peaceful, free, inclusive and equal Myanmar where human rights and the rule of law are respected.” It notes that since the February 2021 coup, “Myanmar has been thrown into a severe economic and humanitarian crisis… the largest political and humanitarian crisis in Southeast Asia.” Sweden stresses that its development cooperation “must neither resource nor legitimise the military’s seizure of power,” adding that “as long as the military rules the country, it is not relevant to provide support to or cooperate with state actors.” Despite the decision to wind down development cooperation, Stockholm highlighted that its principled stance has earned trust among Myanmar’s civil society. “Sweden’s support to civil society and the democratic opposition has helped increase these actors’ resilience and capacity to adapt to the difficult and changing context,” the strategy states. Humanitarian aid to Myanmar will remain unaffected, with Stockholm pledging continued life-saving health and emergency assistance, particularly in areas outside junta control. The shift follows recent cuts by USAID, which have already hit international and local NGOs working on Myanmar issues. Sida, meanwhile, has been one of the largest institutional funders of Myanmar media organisations, raising concerns that the phase-out could further strain independent outlets operating in exile.

Sweden to end development aid to Myanmar by 2026 to bolster support for Ukraine

The move comes as other sources of foreign assistance—notably from the United States—drastically cut back their support

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