“Taking on the challenge” is the Swedish motto for the next six months as Sweden assumes the EU Presidency at a time of global financial crises. Handling the economic crises and combating climate change will be the two main priorities on a global level.
In Africa the Swedish EU Presidency priorities include a new EU strategy for the Horn of Africa, an EU South Africa Summit in September, efforts to enhance the role of EU as a partner to Africa, democracy-building, and crises management of new and old crises in Africa such as Sudan, Somalia and Central Africa.
In Tanzania the Swedish EU Presidency will work towards an enhanced political dialogue between EU and Tanzania through the article 8 dialogue of the Cotonou Agreement. Other key priorities include promoting human rights including gender equality, democratic governance and transparency, as well as working for free trade and regional integration.
- Chairing the EU will be a challenging task for Sweden in these difficult but important times, with a financial crises affecting countries around the globe and with the upcoming Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen as an crucial opportunity for bold new steps in combating climate change, says Ambassador Staffan Herrström.
- In Tanzania the European Union and its Member States are well known partners in the fight against poverty. During the Swedish Presidency the EU will in particular be promoting human rights, broader democratic space and transparency, all crucial issues not least in the run up to the elections 2010 and in the fight against corruption, says Swedish Ambassador Staffan Herrström.
More information about the Swedish EU Presidency can be found on the Presidency website www.se2009.eu