Swedish Aid Agency Faces Frustration Over Halted Support to UNRWA Amid Gaza Crisis
Frustration is running high at Sida, Sweden's International Development Cooperation Agency, after leadership decided to halt a significant humanitarian proposal to allocate 30 million kronor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) within the coming weeks. This decision comes as the organization has been identified as a key player capable of delivering effective assistance on the ground in war-torn Gaza. However, Sida's top management has pushed back against the proposal, citing a directive from the Swedish government that discontinued all funding to UNRWA in December 2024, citing operational restrictions imposed by Israel in the region. Instead, the government has opted to support alternative aid organizations.
"We have made a comprehensive assessment that for the time being we should not support UNRWA's operations with further funding. This decision is based on our interpretation of the government's agency instruction and their decision to terminate Swedish core support to UNRWA," stated Jakob Granit, Sida's Director General, in a report by DN.
This controversial decision has led the Social Democrats to take action by reporting Aid Minister Benjamin Dousa to the Constitutional Committee. MP Laila Naraghi S has expressed concerns that Sida is failing to respond to urgent aid appeals for assistance in Gaza due to the government's policy. She emphasized the importance of distributing humanitarian aid purely based on need, rather than being influenced by political considerations. According to Naraghi, the information emerging from DN's investigation indicates that Sida’s recent actions have been driven by factors beyond humanitarian need due to the government's stance.
Adding to the tension, Dousa claimed during an SVT interview that Sweden is one of the countries striving to increase aid to Gaza, despite the suspension of funds to UNRWA. "I hope this will motivate the government to realize they must reassess their policy and enhance support for children and the civilian population in Gaza," Naraghi asserted.
In response, Benjamin Dousa stated in a comment to DN that he is actively engaging with Sweden’s humanitarian partners operating within Gaza. "I work day and night for more families in Gaza to benefit from Swedish aid. We would gladly have collaborated with the Social Democrats to put more pressure on Israel. It's not through party-political games that more children in Gaza receive help; it's by taking decisive action together," Dousa insisted, placing the ball in the Constitutional Committee's court for further review of the issue.
As the discourse on aid and humanitarian responsibility escalates, the complexities of international support for Gaza amid geopolitical tensions remain apparent, illustrating the intersecting dynamics of politics and humanitarian efforts.
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