Sweden, a $760 billion European economy, has ended an 18-year development aid programme in Liberia worth SEK 5.77 billion (about $600 million) as the country redirects more of its resources towards Ukraine and a major expansion of defence spending.
The Scandinavian country ended its bilateral development cooperation with Liberia on August 31, closing a programme that has channelled hundreds of millions of dollars into the West African country since 2008.
According to The Guardian (UK), Sweden was an influential supporter of the Liberia's postwar recovery and the 2014-2016 Ebola crisis response, becoming Liberia’s second-largest donor, after the US, and the biggest champion of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
This recent decision comes as Sweden faces a sharply different spending environment after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Stockholm has pledged to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” while committing to significantly higher defence spending as it strengthens its role in European security.
