Sweden has announced it will phase out its bilateral development cooperation with Zimbabwe and close its embassy in Harare by 31 August 2026 marking the end of more than two decades of direct development assistance.
In a statement, the Embassy of Sweden in Harare said the move forms part of a broader shift in Stockholm’s foreign policy priorities including a sharpened focus on security, defence and a global reform of its development cooperation framework.
The phase-out affects several African countries including Liberia, Mozambique and Tanzania as Sweden reduces the number of nations with which it maintains bilateral aid strategies.
Sweden said the decision “is not connected to any specific events or developments in Zimbabwe,” but rather reflects the government’s Reform Agenda which aims to streamline aid and align spending with new strategic priorities.
Because the Harare mission’s primary purpose is tied to development cooperation, Swedish authorities said maintaining a permanent diplomatic presence was no longer necessary.
Despite the embassy closure, Stockholm insisted Zimbabwe “remains an important partner,” highlighting the strong people-to-people ties that have defined relations between the two countries.
Sweden said it intends to maintain diplomatic and economic engagement with Zimbabwe with increased emphasis on trade, investment and sustainable growth.
Future collaboration, the statement noted will likely focus on areas such as sustainable mining, environmental protection, climate action and human rights.
Sweden said Zimbabwe will continue benefiting from contributions to multilateral institutions and EU development programmes as well as thematic and regional cooperation initiatives.
Support for Swedish businesses operating in Zimbabwe will continue through the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Business Sweden and other agencies even after the embassy ceases operations.
