Sweden ends development aid to Myanmar, abandoning media and civil society: NGO

Mizzima

Sweden will end all development aid to Myanmar from 2026, following the U.S. government. This includes $2.65 million per year for media and human rights groups, according to Human Rights Myanmar 12 September.

The shock decision, confirmed on 11 September 2025, is a profound blow to Myanmar’s civil society, human rights defenders, and independent media, severing a final and critical lifeline of support in the face of a brutal military regime.

The back-to-back withdrawal of Sweden and the U.S., two of Myanmar’s most significant donors in the democracy and governance space, triggers more than a financial shortfall. Donors like Sweden have championed international standards, and yet their decision severely undermines the “do no harm” principle. It also sends a demoralising political signal to civil society, journalists, and human rights defenders on the front lines. It suggests that long-term, principled support for their struggle is unreliable, subject to the shifting political priorities of donor capitals rather than the escalating needs on the ground.

This erosion of solidarity is a more damaging consequence than the loss of funding alone. An ideological shift, not just a pragmatic withdrawal Sweden has justified its decision by citing the need to reallocate aid to Ukraine as well as the “progressively worsened” conditions for development work in Myanmar. While operational challenges are undeniable, this withdrawal is a direct consequence of a broader ideological shift in Swedish foreign policy under its Development Assistance for a New Era agenda.