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SIDASwedish International Development Cooperation Agency |
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Type
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Governmental agency providing technical assistance and funding throughout the world.
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| Brief Overview |
Sida is a government agency of the country of Sweden with over 650 employees. Sida channels its resources through NGOs, multilateral cooperation, and the EU, among others and is interested in promoting the idea of “international development cooperation” to replace the one-sided giving indicated by the term “assistance.” Supporting over 2,000 projects in over 100 countries (over 20 of them are specially designated as target countries), Sida seeks to create partnerships with companies, popular movements, organizations, universities, and government agencies for its development projects. Sida’s geographic focus is on countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe.
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Contact Information
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website: http://www.sida.org
address: Sida 105 25 Stockholm Sweden telephone: (+46) 8 698 50 00 fax: (+46) 8 20 88 64 e-mail: info@sida.se |
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Stated Goals
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1. Economic growth. To help increase the production of goods and services.
2. Economic and social equality. To help reduce differences between rich and poor and ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met. 3. Economic and political independence. To help to ensure that countries can make their own decisions on their economies and policies and create the conditions necessary for national self-determination. 4. Democratic development. To help to ensure that people are given greater opportunities to influence developments locally, regionally and nationally. 5. Environmental protection. To promote the sustainable use of natural resources and protection of the environment. 6. Gender equality. To promote equality between men and women. |
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Regions of Work
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Areas of Work
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1. Economy
2. Infrastructure 3. Humanitarian assistance 4. Water 5. Urban development |
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Methods
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Sida seeks to contribute to projects that the partner countries have identified as important. With its 1,500 (usually Swedish) partners, Sida provides funding, skills, and other resources to accomplish this goal. The primary opportunities for cooperation with Sida are the following: 1. NGOs: Most of Sida’s funding is channeled through Swedish NGOs. Sida is currently working in cooperation with over 300 of them. 2. Multilateral Cooperation: Approximately 1/3 of Swedish development funds is given to international organizations including the UN, the World Bank, and several regional development banks. These funds are available either through partnerships with the countries themselves or through the international body. Some funds are also donated to the EU. 3. Grant and Credit Aid: This type of funding goes directly to partners in the developing country requesting the funds. 4. Contract-Financed Development Cooperation: Sida arranges for the creation of a partnership between a Swedish organization with technical skills and a developing country at that country’s request. Sida finances and oversees the project. 5. International Training Programs: Swedish companies, universities, and government agencies arrange training programs with partner countries for the exchange of knowledge, experience and skills. These take place in Sweden and are evaluated three years after their conclusion. 6. Research Cooperation: Swedish researchers are given Sida grants for work in development through one of the following programs: programs for bilateral research cooperation with developing countries (1/3 of funds), regional programs (1/3 of funds), international research programs including those of the WHO and CGIAR are funded (1/4 of funds), research work on developing countries conducted in Sweden (1/10 of funds). 7. Consultant Trust Fund Programme: 10 consultant funds with regional or global operations are funding through international development banks and organizations. |
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Examples of Upgrading Project
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One of Sida’s many projects in the area of water resources management took place from 1996 through 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sida funded the efforts of the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden (an NGO) by donating 2,688,000 Swedish crowns over three years. The funds were used to assist the population of the Luozi zone to secure drinking water supply by improving 300 water sources and rainwater collection. The project led to the construction of 100 ferro-cement cisterns and the installation of 35 hand pumps. Training sessions were also held using the funds.
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Project Selection Process
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