Stockholm - The Swedish government Thursday said it would
close the Swedish embassies in Angola, the Philippines and Laos next
year while opening new embassies in Afghanistan, Sudan and Belarus.
With bilateral aid programmes due to be phased out in Angola, the
Philippines and Laos there was no need to retain embassies there, the
Foreign Ministry said.
The Swedish embassy in South Africa would be in charge of
monitoring developments in Angola while the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) would run the Laos office
during the phase out period.
The government's decision has been on the cards for some time, and
the plans have been criticized by business leaders including Carl-
Henric Svanberg, chief executive of telecommunications group
Ericsson.
In a recent letter to Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Trade
Minister Ewa Bjorling, Svanberg said the governments of Ericsson
rivals 'not the least China, but also in Europe and North America are
doing a lot to increase their presence in these markets,' business
newspaper Dagens Industri quoted the letter as saying.
Opening a new embassy in Afghanistan would help Sweden monitor
developments in the country that has in recent years become a major
recipient of Swedish aid. Sweden has also contributed forces to the
NATO-led ISAF forces.
The embassy in Sudan was due to open early 2008 and would enable
Sweden to further engage in peace and conflict resolution efforts,
the Foreign Ministry said.
The need for an embassy in Belarus was motivated by the country's
vicinity to Sweden and Sweden's bilateral aid programmes.
Non-NATO member Sweden was also to open an embassy to NATO in
Brussels.
The Swedish government in November said it would close its
embassies in Botswana and Nicaragua and consulates in Gdansk, Poland
and Phuket, Thailand.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
Your Talkback on this Story