G20: Why culture is key to South Africa’s presidency
The cultural and creative industries are a growing source of income and job creation around the world, generating tens of millions of jobs. The cultural sector is also linked to soft power, to relations between countries. As president of G20, South Africa is putting culture in focus, writes Ribio Nzeza Bunketi Buse from University of …
Development Sweden #64. ”US budget reduction to UN a signal of disregard”, says Jan Eliasson
Former UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson voices his criticism of the USA plan to further reduce it support to the UN system. We give you a background to why the Swedish journalist Joakim Medin is facing 12 years of prison in Turkey. And what did DAC’s annual report reveal about Sweden’s ODA? Development Sweden is …
Why has Turkey arrested a Swedish journalist?
The Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been held in the high-security Marmara prison in Turkey since March 30. On April 30 the trail against him starts. Joakim Medin is charged with ‘insulting the President’ and could risk 12 years of imprisonment. Why is Turkey doing this against a NATO ally? Joakim Medin was arrested on March 27 upon …
“Journalism is not a crime, not in any country”
COLUMN. The Turkish regime must immediately release Joakim Medin, and all journalists imprisoned simply for trying to report on the situation in Turkey, writes the Swedish author, journalist, and commentator Kurdo Baksi who was himself born in Turkey. The opinions expressed in this article are those by the author. The first message from Joakim Medin from …
Africa: Who did you vote for – and why?
By the end of 2025, 42 African countries will have held national elections in the previous 24 months. But do these elections produce parliaments that accurately reflect the societies they serve? Aside from studies of women in Africa’s legislatures, there is surprisingly little information about this important issue. Elected parliaments are the essence of representative …
Development Sweden #63. How much did aid top managers earn in 2024?
Despite the fact that many aid organisations have been forced to lay off staff, CEO and Director General’s salaries are increasing. Those working with business and aid have the highest salaries – the lowest are the heads of party affiliated non-governmental organisations. Development Sweden is providing you with exclusive insight about everything that happens in …
Gabon: Will the election bring change?
In 2023 a military coup ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years. On April 12, Gabon is heading for an election that will test whether the country is on a firm democratic footing, or whether it will be business as usual. Will the interim president and coup leader Brice Oligui Nguema win the election …
Development Sweden #62. Why Sweden should resume the support to UNRWA
The Somali government’s decision to declare the counsellor and head of Swedish Development Cooperation Anna Saleem Högberg persona non grata has created quite a fuss and our news have circulated widely, both in Somalia and Sweden. We will get back to Somalia in upcoming issues of Development Sweden. In this issue Johan Schaar argues as …
Development Sweden #61 Somalia expels head of Sweden’s ODA in the country
The Somali government has decided to declare the counsellor and head of Swedish Development Cooperation Anna Saleem Högberg persona non grata. The counsellor and deputy ambassador who is now expelled has reportedly smeared the Somali government. Also in this issue, Sweden gives SEK 100 million to humanitarian systems to compensate for USAID withdrawal. And what …
Somalia expels counsellor at Swedish embassy
The Somali government has decided to declare the counsellor and head of Swedish Development Cooperation Anna Saleem Högberg persona non grata. The counsellor and deputy ambassador, who is now expelled, has reportedly smeared the Somali government. Somalia and Sweden have a close relationship and there are an estimated 50,000 Somalis living in Sweden, many of …
