MOGADISHU — Sweden will firmly maintain its strategic focus on state-building, economic development, and resilience in Somalia, according to the Ambassador of Sweden to Somalia, Hans Henric Lundquist. The European nation plans to continue integrating human rights, gender equality, and conflict-sensitive approaches deep into its ongoing development cooperation.
In a recent interview with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ambassador highlighted that Stockholm’s long-term vision is to actively support a peaceful, secure Somalia where citizens have greater economic opportunities and enhanced resilience to climate-related shocks.
“A safe and secure Somalia where the population has economic opportunities are long-term goals,” Ambassador Lundquist stated. He emphasized the critical importance of investing in community resilience to enable rapid responses to climate shocks and to solidify grassroots peacebuilding efforts.
A Longstanding Partnership with UNDP
Reflecting on Sweden’s partnership with the UNDP, the Ambassador described the collaboration as longstanding and highly impactful. He noted that the institutional reforms supported through these joint efforts have created the necessary conditions for sustained progress in governance, climate resilience, and national development planning.
“UNDP has been a valued partner for Sweden for a long time. The reforms UNDP has been part of have created conditions for continuous progress, improving prospects for a more peaceful and prosperous Somalia,” the Ambassador said.
He added that Sweden has witnessed tangible results through its chairmanship of the Somalia Joint Fund (SJF) steering committee and through collaborative initiatives supporting the National Transformation Plan (NTP) and advanced climate-shock management systems.
Driving Transformational Governance
As a strong advocate of multilateralism and a major contributor of core funding to the UNDP, Sweden currently ranks among the top 10 non-core contributors globally. In Somalia, Sweden is directly supporting vital UNDP projects focused on transformational governance, climate change adaptation, and climate security.
In the past, Sweden—either independently or jointly with other international donors—has funded highly successful programs focusing on integrated water resources management, charcoal reduction, disaster risk reduction, and early warning systems. Furthermore, the UNDP and Sweden have advanced pioneering climate-security mechanisms in Somalia by directly integrating environmental peacebuilding into local community reconciliation plans.
The UNTMIS Transition
Looking ahead, Ambassador Lundquist stressed the absolute importance of maintaining a strong United Nations presence as Somalia navigates its transition toward a strengthened UN Country Team framework. This shift follows the planned expiry of the UNTMIS mandate in October 2026.
He emphasized that the UNDP’s core mandate to strengthen national governance and reduce poverty will remain central to Somalia’s development trajectory, reiterating Sweden’s firm commitment to supporting a seamless operational transition.
The longstanding bilateral ties between Sweden and Somalia will continue to deepen, the Ambassador concluded, with new opportunities rapidly emerging through expanded business and trade cooperation. “Sweden will continue its support to Somalia and its people. We look forward to building new ties as opportunities expand, contributing to Somalia’s future development and prosperity,” he said.
