In a world of growing geopolitical uncertainty, competing superpower interests, armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, informed guidance is needed to chart a course for the future.
‘With aid continuing to decline in a world rife with conflict, we are facing major challenges. Humanitarian needs are enormous, and we must also contribute to reconstruction and long-term development wherever possible. Private investment, entrepreneurship and trade are crucial for generating economic growth and stability. I hope that the West will play a decisive role in this work and not leave too much room for actors whose interests lie elsewhere”, says EBA Chair Torbjörn Becker.
In certain situations, the impact of aid on global development can be absolutely crucial to human security, dignity and survival in individual countries and regions. Effective aid design requires knowledge of what works, when, for whom, and under what conditions. EBA is responsible for evaluating and analysing issues of strategic importance for aid and aid policy. In doing so, we contribute to the knowledge base regarding aid’s potential to make a difference. This includes studying what is prioritised and what is deprioritised.
‘When the government prioritises new countries and regions for aid, this simultaneously means that we need to reduce or discontinue aid to countries and regions with which we have previously worked. The withdrawal of aid will also have consequences, and to better understand these, we will also study the effects in future, particularly where long-standing relationships are concerned,” says Torbjörn Becker.
Like the EBA’s other activities, the EBA Aid Review 2026 is intended to help improve and develop Swedish aid by guiding future strategies and priorities. Over the past year, eight more EBA reports have been added to the knowledge base. These cover topics such as effective long-term solutions to protracted refugee situations, the ways in which Swedish bilateral aid has strengthened health and healthcare systems, the synergies between climate finance and trade, and China’s role as a development policy actor. The EBA Aid Review 2026 provides a brief summary of these and other knowledge bases.
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