Democracy in the world is in decline. There are today more people in countries with authoritarian tendencies than in the countries making democratic progress. Democratic processes are undermined. The rule of law are the exception.

Sweden’s goal with development is to create better conditions for people living in poverty and oppression. When other countries draw down their support continues in Sweden to set aside one per cent of gni to aid. Focus areas are in addition to democracy and human rights, conflict prevention, climate, the environment and gender equality. We shall therefore increase our moderate party and stand up for the champion of democracy and institutions. It is about providing support and nourishment everywhere where democracy can grow and be critical when it is depleted.

the Security are then influenced in the past by both the current and frozen conflicts in the region, and of a destructive action, especially from Russia.

Democracy is just as the climate is a crucial issue for our time. We have no time to lose. We need to pull together between countries to achieve the sustainability objectives and comply with the paris agreement. We must in the same way to help ensure that the evolving democracy and to people’s confidence and trust in the democratic system grows stronger than populism and trust in authoritarian tendencies.

Two small and vulnerable, but also hopeful countries in the southern Caucasus, in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood. Two countries where many people still live in poverty, especially in rural areas, but that have great potential for development. Sweden has for a long time, given political and economic support to the countries in our eastern neighbourhood; my answer when I now visit two of these countries is that the government increase its presence further, including in the form of extended support to Armenia.

Through our regional strategy for reform cooperation with Eastern europe, Sweden today approximately € 210 million for Ukraine and about 115-120 million each to the republic of Moldova, Georgia and Belarus.

One of the main objectives of the Swedish involvement in the region is support to the strengthening of democracy, greater respect for human rights and more developed rule of law. It is also about the improvement of the economic development, the rapprochement to the EU and improving the environment and strengthening resilience to environmental impact and climate change. We are working together with civil society and public institutions.

with 250 million already in 2019, of which 150 million is earmarked for a bet on democracy. Against the background of the positive developments that have taken place in Armenia in the past year, we intend to also open a bilateral biståndsfönster in the year.

In the year it is ten years since the Eastern partnership between the EU and six eastern european countries, was formed through an initiative by Sweden and Poland. This important collaboration has given many positive results, but we can still do more. Each country has its specific challenges and conditions, but it is also common regional opportunities for development. The current strategy of the Swedish reformsamarbetet to Eastern europe for the years 2014 to 2020 and shortly the government will see how this cooperation shall be developed the coming years.

Some areas in the demokratibiståndet we can already see that they will be prioritised:

1 Work against corruption must be strengthened. We will continue to contribute to the functioning of the institutions, and thus conditions for economic and political development.

the Work against corruption and for the rule of law is fundamental when we talk about building confidence in democratic institutions. Especially important is the reform of the rättskedjan. But it is nevertheless in the basis of poverty reduction. A society of corruption becomes ineffective and does not deliver the necessary social services needed to enable a positive development.

2 Work for human rights will be further strengthened. of Civil liberties and rights form the basis of a democratic society. Sweden has in all partner countries, a strong focus on gender equality, human rights and non-discrimination, including a dedicated work against violence against women.

Support to state institutions needs to be complemented with support to civil society organisations in the region. Unfortunately, violence and threats against women’s rights organisations, as well as lgbtq organisations widespread. Sweden always takes up these important issues in the talks with the representatives of the governments in our partner countries. This is to contribute to the development of a pluralist civil society.

3 Support to independent and free media will be further strengthened. Propaganda and misinformation, often with Russia as the sender, the potential to undermine the political development of several countries in our vicinity. It is important that their residents have access to free and independent journalism. We need to act effectively to reveal and respond to the misinformation, both in Sweden, within the EU and our eastern neighbours.

In several countries all major tv stations and newspapers by the oligarchs, with their own economic and political agenda. Our response must be to support independent and investigative journalism and thus contribute to a more pluralistic media landscape. For the countries in the region to continue to evolve towards stable democracies, we must acknowledge that the security situation is difficult. The security are then influenced in the past by both the current and frozen conflicts in the region, and of a destructive action, especially from Russia. Further reforms, in particular in the rule of law and fight against corruption, constitutes the most effective antidote to the Russian destabiliseringsförsök. Sweden’s comprehensive support of reforms is thus an important contribution to strengthening democratic resilience.

. The EU approach has played a decisive role in reforms and democratic development; positive reformresultat has been rewarded with closer EU cooperation. Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have signed so-called association agreement with the EU, including the ambitious free trade agreement. These three countries have also achieved the requirements for, and been granted a visa-free regime with the EU.

Georgia has, despite the complex security situation, continued its development in a democratic direction. We have seen the democratic alternation of power and choice where the discussions have gone high, and concern has sometimes been evident for the changes to be made, but where much of it gained in the form of, for example, the reduction of corruption in everyday life, yet consolidated. Armenia has an active process of democratisation initiated after the ”velvet revolution” and the shifts of power in 2018.

There is now a strong political will to implement the necessary reforms and strengthening democracy, and freedom of expression and other freedoms and rights. The fact that the proportion of women has increased in the newly elected parliament is one of many examples of the progressive force for change that exists in the country. It is therefore the right time for Sweden to increase support and contribute to a positive development in Armenia.

A demokratioffensiv with a great opportunity to make a difference and create better conditions for positive development in the region and in the whole of Europe.