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Swedish enterprise and trade unions important in development cooperation
11 June 2003
– It is harvest time for Swedish enterprise, Jan O. Karlsson, Minister for Development Cooperation, said when he presented the Government Bill for global development at a seminar arranged by Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and the International Council of Swedish Industry on 10 June 2003. His idea was that Swedish enterprises should use the goodwill that Swedish development cooperation has created around the world since the 1960s. The Government Bill also encourages cooperation between Swedish enterprise and trade union movement within the development cooperation field.
Sweden is the first country in the world to present an integrated policy for global development. Government Bill 2002/03:122 Shared responsibility – Sweden’s policy for global development was presented by the Government to the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, on 23 May 2003. It will be debated in the Riksdag during the autumn of 2003.
The proposed overall objective for Swedish development cooperation is to help creating conditions that will enable the poor to improve their lives. The new focus is placing a greater emphasis on developing countries’ own responsibility for development.
– The Swedish development cooperation should serve as support and a catalyst to the development efforts driven by the countries themselves, Karlsson highlighted.
Karlsson also stressed the role he wanted Swedish enterprises to have in the development cooperation, a role which he saw the enterprises could benefit from. According to Karlsson, Swedish enterprises have vast knowledge and experience concerning development countries. The Government should therefore seek to increase the cooperation, both regarding policies and in the development cooperation.
In the introduction to the seminar, Göran Tunhammar, Director General Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, stated the he would not go as far as saying “trade, not aid”, but rather “much more trade and relevant aid”. Karlsson coincided with Tunhammar’s argument by stressing the importance of direct investments and the need for efforts to create more favourable situations for enterprises.
Karlsson also pointed out that the Government Bill goes hand in hand with UN’s Global Compact, which was initiated in 1999. In this context the Government would want to increase the cooperation between Swedish enterprises and the trade union movement in order to fulfil the UN Millennium Development Goals.
The Government Bill also emphasises a close cooperation between the parties on the labour market in the development cooperation. The Government's opinion is that this cooperation has played a crucial role in the Swedish development and has created stability. Such experiences are important even in a global perspective, according to the Goverment.
 Visit Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Last updated: 03-07-22 09:32
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