Cooperation through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency – Sida - eventually took more long-term shape and is increasingly based on government to government cooperation focussing on three sectors: democratic governance, economic development and the environment.
The current Strategy for Development Cooperation with Macedonia covers the period 2006- 2010 with an indicative country budget for 2007 of 70 MSEK. The overall goal is poverty reduction by means of societal change, based on EU integration as an engine of development, and with the following three specific objectives and areas of cooperation:1. Agriculture and economic growth The cooperation is aiming at promoting sustainable economic development and a sustainable restructuring of the agricultural sector in accordance with EU requirements. Key contributions include strengthening producer organisations through the Farmers Federation of Macedonia, developing the national agricultural advisory system, and university cooperation in the field of agricultural economics. Improved cadastral services, agricultural statistics and strengthening food hygiene and standards are other important contributions.2. Human rights and social cohesion The cooperation is promoting fair and non-discriminatory social development with emphasis on gender equality, the rule of law and respect of human rights, participation in public life and the strengthening of civil society. Most of the support is channelled through two Swedish so called Frame-Work Organisations – the Swedish Helsinki Committee and Kvinna till Kvinna (Woman to Woman).3. Sustainable Development The objective of the cooperation is to contribute to environmentally sustainable development integration with European structures. Key programmes and projects supported by Sweden include the preparation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, institutional cooperation in the area of chemicals, development of local environmental actions plans and support to non-government organisations. Recently Skopje was selected as one of two pilot cities in the world within the special Sida programme on Sustainable Cities.Disbursements 2007In 2007, total disbursements amounted to 94,1 MSEK, just below the record figure for 2006 (94,6 MSEK) and exceeding the original budget allocation for 2007 by nearly 20,0 MSEK. Out of total disbursements, about 53 % went to agriculture and economic growth, some 25 % to human rights and social cohesion and 15 % to interventions related to the environment.