Partner Driven Cooperation - Opportunities for cooperation between Sweden and South Africa

Cooperation between Sweden and South Africa has developed in three phases, from political support and humanitarian aid in the 1960s via traditional development cooperation into today’s equal, partner-driven, and increasingly co-financed, cooperation.

What is partner-driven cooperation?

• Partner-driven cooperation contributes to poverty alleviation in line with South African and Swedish policies, and strengthens and deepens the relations between Sweden and South Africa.
• Shared ownership, mutual interest, joint responsibility and long-term sustainability are some of the principles for partner-driven cooperation.
• Examples of partner-driven cooperation are partnerships between public authorities, businesses, universities, municipalities and regions, cultural institutions and research bodies.
• Cooperation takes place according to South African and Swedish partners needs, drive and interest.
• In the long term, the partnerships should be self-supporting. Funding is only intended to be catalytical.

> Read more about partner-driven cooperation on Sida’s website

Sweco International in association with local partners has been contracted by Sida as a Facilitator to promote partner driven cooperation in the areas of efficient use of water, energy efficiency and renewable energy and waste management.

> Read more about Sweco International and how to get in contact with them here

What are the opportunities for support?

Swedish and South African agencies, organisations, trade associations, institutes etc who wish to cooperate with counterparts in the other country can get initial funding to establish partnerships. The support available depends on the agency or organisation that you represent. Examples of current opportunities include:

Planning Grants - stimulating cooperation:

The purpose of the Planning Grants for Partner Driven Cooperation is to stimulate partners to meet, explore possibilities and initiate cooperation leading to sustained relations over time. By offering the partners access to financial support, the Planning Grant contributes to a kick-start of a partner cooperation initiative.

Read more about Planning Grants and how to apply in the column to the right.

Research institutions:

Funding for cooperation between Swedish and South African researchers. Read more about research cooperation opportunities in the column to the right.

Cultural institutions:

Support to cooperation between South African and Swedish cultural institutions is available through the Cultural Partnership Programme. Read more about cultural cooperation in the column to the right.

Municipalities and regions:

Support to partnerships between Swedish and South African municipalities and regions through the municipal twinning programme. Read more about cooperation between municipalities and regions in the columnt to the right.

Linnaeus-Palme is an exchange programme for university/college tutors and students in Sweden and in developing countries.
> Read more about the Linnaeus-Palme programme on the website of the International Programme Office

“International School of Transparency” Partnership - University of Cape Town – Södertörn Collage – A PDC example

The cooperation aims, among others, to build capacity of governments/public administration and civil society to promote openness and transparency. The partnership is further premised on the fact that development of legislation on access to information could be used as a key driver against corruption and realisation of socio-economic rights, e.g. whereby governments are challenged to reveal records on issues in rights-specific areas such as in health and education.

For further information please contact:

Ulrika Hessling Sjöström
Phone: +27 (0)12-426 64 57
Victor Ramaema
Phone: +27 (0)12- 426 6435
Marianne Milligan
Phone: +27(0)12-426 6453