VZCZCXRO0639
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL
DE RUEHSM #0412/01 1891505
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 081505Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4481
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000412 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2029 
TAGS: EUN ECON USAID MARR PREL SW
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON,S JULY 
13-15 VISIT TO STOCKHOLM 
 
Classified By: CDA Laura Kirkconnell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) Introduction and Summary: The U.S. Embassy in 
Stockholm warmly welcomes your visit to Sweden.  The mood in 
Sweden is both eager anticipation for its turn to set the 
agendas and chair the EU meetings, and a bit of trepidation 
at the daunting list of issues, starting with the financial 
crisis and climate change. Bilateral relations are very close 
and collaborative, and you will find good partners MFA 
Political Director Bjorn Lyrvall and his team.  Lyrvall, the 
third-ranking MFA official, will meet you on Tuesday morning. 
 He is quite close to Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, having 
served as his deputy in Bosnia in the mid-1990s.  Ambassador 
Anders Hagelberg, Head of the MFA,s Africa Department, will 
chair the EU delegation for the COAFR Troika meetings that 
follow.  He was formerly Ambassador to Angola and also served 
in Egypt. 
 
¶2. (C) Sweden sees the continuing situations in Darfur, Chad, 
Somalia, eastern Congo, Niger and the threat to the climate 
as central issues for the future of Africa.  They have an 
ambitious Africa program, but the key to success for us and 
them will involve engagement that keeps Stockholm focused and 
coordinated with us on our key foreign policy priorities. 
The Horn of Africa, and Somalia in particular, is Sweden's 
number one priority in Africa.  There are currently some 
25,000 Somali refugees living in Sweden, and a small but 
significant number have traveled to Al-Qaida camps for 
training.  The Swedish security services recently took the 
unusual step of highlighting publicly its concerns over 
Swedish citizens fighting for Al-Shabaab in Somalia. 
 
¶3. (U) Sweden, the world's largest donor as a percentage of 
Gross national Income, devotes some 45 percent of its 
economic assistance to Africa (nearly $2 billion).  Sweden 
also contributes forces to protect ships off Somalia, 
military advisors to the UN missions in the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.  End Introduction and 
Summary. 
 
Sweden's Africa Policy 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Sweden is pursuing a policy for Africa that reflects 
and builds on the positive changes the continent has 
undergone during the past decade.  Swedish assistance 
emphasizes reducing poverty, promoting sustainable 
development, stimulating economic growth, building 
democracies and protecting human rights. Swedish development 
assistance is highest in the world as a share of Gross 
National Income (0.98 percent of GNI in 2008) and prioritizes 
quality and results.  The Swedish International Development 
Cooperation Agency (Sida), under supervision of the Ministry 
for Foreign Affairs, is responsible for Sweden's bilateral 
aid.  Multilateral aid is channeled partly via the MFA and 
partly via Sida.  Slightly more than 50 percent of Sweden's 
total budget for development cooperation is channeled via 
Sida.  The top five recipients of Sida assistance in Africa 
(2008) were: Tanzania ) $105 million; Mozambique ) $102 
million; Uganda ) $54.6 million; Kenya ) $53.6 million; and 
the Democratic Republic of Congo ) $43.7 million. 
 
¶5. (C) Sweden's military also supports international efforts 
to stabilize Africa.  Until September 15, Sweden is providing 
three Swedish Armed Forces vessels (two corvettes and a 
support ship) with a total of 152 crew and maintenance 
personnel to protect ships carrying food and other urgent 
supplies in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.  The EU recently 
extended the mandate for Operation Atalanta until December 
2010, and Sweden is currently preparing legislation to extend 
its Naval mission there.  You may wish to inquire about 
Swedish plans for participation after September.  Sweden also 
has a land-based maintenance and administration unit based in 
neighboring Djibouti, five military advisors at the United 
Nations Organization Mission in the DRC, and three military 
and two staff officers at the United Nations Mission in Sudan. 
 
¶6. (U) Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will visit 
South Africa in mid-September to attend the EU-South Africa 
summit.  In conjunction with his visit, the Swedish Embassy 
and the Swedish Trade Council offices in Botswana, Namibia 
and South Africa are organizing a trade delegation to visit 
Namibia and South Africa September 8-10.  South Africa is an 
important Swedish trade partner and the EU's largest African 
trade partner.  Where Economic Partnership Agreements are 
concerned, Sweden supports the removal of trade barriers and 
free trade among partners. 
 
Somalia: A Top Priority 
----------------------- 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000412  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (S) Our Swedish interlocutors tell us that the Horn of 
Africa, and Somalia in particular, is Sweden's top priority. 
While other countries focus on piracy, Sweden and Special 
Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Marika Fahlen, are 
focused also on the overall development of Somalia.  The 
25,000 Somali refugees living in Sweden are far behind other 
ethnic groups when it comes to integrating into Swedish 
society, partly due to their adherence to Islam and the 
values of clan-based societies and partly due to their 
isolation in certain Swedish suburbs.  Sweden is concerned 
that disenfranchised young Somalis are being recruited to 
return to Somalia to participate in Al-Shabaab activities and 
training.  In a rare move, the Swedish internal security 
service SAPO publicly highlighted its concerns over Swedish 
citizens fighting for Al-Shabaab in Somalia.  A few 
individuals with Swedish passports have been killed in 
fighting in Somalia, and the Al-Shabaab has threatened to 
attack individuals in Sweden and Denmark. 
 
Other Items on COAFR Troika Agenda 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Sudan: Sweden is especially interested in how U.S. 
policy regarding Sudan will develop.  Sweden has recently 
increased development aid to Sudan, named a special envoy 
(Ambassador Michael Fruhling) to the country, and has a 
ministerial position devoted to engagement in Sudan. 
Implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is the 
most pressing need in Sudan, according to the Swedes. 
 
- Ethiopia/Eritrea: The Swedes are also interested in the 
developing U.S. policy toward the Ethiopia/Eritrea conflict. 
Sweden has been more critical of the situation there than 
other EU countries, but believes positive developments have 
taken place. 
 
- Zimbabwe: Years ago, the Swedes pushed the EU to take a 
more critical position, but our interlocutors tell us the EU 
is clearly united now.  Swedish contacts tell us they agree 
with USG positions concerning political benchmarks and 
humanitarian support.  The big question for the Swedes 
involves Prime Minister Tsvangirai, who recently visited 
Sweden.  Sweden did not pledge any additional funds during 
his visit, preferring instead to monitor his political 
progress first. 
 
-  Kenya: The Swedes tell us the EU is united on Kenyan 
issues, so they believe it will be possible to have a clearer 
approach to Kenya.  Our interlocutors say Sweden wants to 
focus on the seriousness of the Reform Agenda. 
 
-  Unconstitutional Changes of Government: The Swedes are 
mainly focused on Guinea due to the military coup led by 
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.  Sweden, which does not maintain 
an embassy in Guinea, would like to see swifter action from 
regional organizations and the EU on this issue.  They hope 
the EU will emulate U.S. policy. 
 
- Sahel: Sweden is not as involved in Sahel as other 
countries, focusing mainly on providing humanitarian aid 
instead.  Niger is becoming increasingly problematic, given 
the president,s recent invoking of Article 53 of the 
Constitution and the dissolution of the Parliament. 
KIRKCONNELL