Suggested sites and web reports

Sweden’s Policy for Global Development

In March 2008, the Swedish Government presented Sweden’s new Policy for Global Development (PGD). The Government Communication No. 2007/08:89 was titled ”Global Challenges – Our Responsibility.
Communication on Sweden’s policy for global development”, and it was submitted to the Parliament. In this official report, the government addresses the question of how Sweden can effectively contribute to equitable, sustainable global development that will enable poor people to benefit more fully from the globalisation process. The policy is aimed at helping poor countries to meet challenges specific to them, at promoting synergies between policy areas, remedying policies that hold up development in Sweden and the EU, and tackling global challenges that hinder equitable and sustainable development. It also includes a detailed discussion of six global challenges, areas which the Swedish Government has identified – in the context of the main features of Sweden’s policy for global development – as key to achieving the goal of equitable and sustainable global development, and in which
Sweden can make an effective contribution. The areas are: – Oppression, – Economic exclusion, – Climate change and environmental impact, – Migration flows,
– Communicable diseases and other health threats, and – Conflicts and fragile situations.
The 2008 PGD communication also provides a summary of the outcomes of implementation of the policy since the last communication was submitted to the Parliament in May 2006. The account is based on the 65 bjectives set out in the 2005 and 2006 government communications to the Parliament on Sweden’s policy for global development, and structured around the policy’s principal features, as in previous communications. Read the full 2008 Swedish Policy for Global Development Communication. 

Swedish Chamber of Commerce India

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce India's mission is to promote Swedish commercial interest in India through networking, lobbying and an active partnership by all members of the Indo-Swedish business community. SCCI offers various activities with both local, Swedish and international members of the business community in India, as well as business opportunities through speaker's luncheons, breakfast meetings and seminars featuring local, Swedish and international renowned speakers and top officials. Go to SCCI’s web page. 

SCCI’s Business Climate Survey 2008

In its first Business Climate Report conducted among Swedish and Swedish-related companies in India, ICCI shows that the Swedish business community consider India as a market with great potential and an overall favourable business climate. While confirming the Swedish business community’s strong confidence in the Indian market, the report also highlights the most frequent barriers for Swedish companies doing business in India. In April 2008, a written questionnaire was sent out to almost 100 Swedish and Swedish-related companies in India, and the results were presented at a business meeting at the Swedish Embassy on May 12. The first Business Climate Report conducted among Swedish and Swedish-related companies in India shows that the Swedish business community consider India as a market with great potential and an overall favourable business climate. While confirming the Swedish business community’s strong confidence in the Indian market, the report also highlights the most frequent barriers for Swedish companies doing business in India. Read an executive summary. 

Global Development Finance 2007

The World Bank, in its annual report titled ”Global Development Finance 2007”, released on 29 May 2007 says that sustaining recent high growth in South Asia will require continued economic reform, expansion of infrastructure capacity, and further reduction of security threats. The report predicts that these efforts will also contribute to higher capital inflows, which have been spurred by progress in these areas in recent years. According to the report, net capital flows to South Asia reached a record $40.1 billion (3.6 percent of GDP) in 2006, up from $28.3 billion (2.8 percent of GDP) in 2005, with most of the increase in going to India. Go for the report.

Doing Business in South Asia 2007

• Web based regional report for South Asia, prepared by the World Bank. The report, released on 13 February 2007, covers eight countries in the World Bank’s South Asia region and examines 12 major cities in India, six in Pakistan, and four in Bangladesh. Doing business became easier in India and Pakistan in 2005-2006, according to the report. Within India, Hyderabad has the most business-friendly regulations. Mumbai is in 11th place, ahead of Calcutta. Karachi is at the top in Pakistan, while Dhaka ranks best in Bangladesh. Entrepreneurs in South Asia face large regulatory obstacles to doing business: A standard company in India pays 81% of commercial profits in taxes, and in Pakistan it takes 560 hours per year to comply with all tax regulations. More information about the World Bank’s Report.

South Asian growth and integration

• In conjunction with the February 2007 SAARC Business Conclave in Mumbai, the World Bank and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) released today a new report entitled ”South Asia: Growth and Regional Integration”. South Asia is the least integrated region in the world, but high growth, averaging close to 6 percent ! per year since the 1990s, is creating a new momentum for closer regional integration. The report says closer regional cooperation can be an effective tool in addressing energy shortage, improve connectivity, increase investment, and promote peace and stability. Access data and findings in the report.

Invest in Sweden Agency, ISA

Whether you are a foreign investor planning to establish or expand business operations in Sweden, a consultant, a researcher or a journalist requiring information on business and investment opportunities in Sweden, the Invest in Sweden Agency, ISA, is ready to provide you with professional assistance, free of charge. ISA is a government agency responsible to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Go to the ISA web page.

Global Reporting Initiative

The Global Reporting Initiative was initially convened by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), a non-profit coalition of over 50 investor, environmental, religious, labour and social justice groups. The GRI was established in 1997 with a mission to elevate sustainability reporting to equivalency with financial reporting. It has recently been established as an organisation in its own right. GRI’s vision is that reporting on economic, environmental, and social performance by all organizations becomes as routine and comparable as financial reporting. GRI accomplishes this vision by developing, continually improving, and building capacity around the use of its Sustainability Reporting Framework. An international network of thousands from business, civil society, labor, and professional institutions create the content of the Reporting Framework in a consensus-seeking process. Go to its web site, http://www.globalreporting.org/
 

Tetra Pak’s Food for Development Office (FfDO).
• The Swedish company Tetra Pak is a world leader in processing and packaging of liquid foods, with activities in more than 165 countries worldwide. Through its Food for Development Office (FfDO), Tetra Pak is also engaged in promoting sustainable economic and social development is by building strong partnerships between governments, private industry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international and national development agencies. Together with Tetra Pak’s sister company 'DeLaval', the FfDO also participates in integrated agricultural development projects addressing the entire food value chain from "cow to consumer". More information about FfOD.
In South Asia FfDO has been engaged in dairy and milk distribution projects in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Pakistan. On 29 January 2006, the opening of Bhutan’s first UHT plant was celebrated in Phuentsholing in the southern part of the country. Bhutan Dairy & Agro Products Ltd, led by Mr. Ugen Wangdi, will market UHT milk packed in Tetra Brik Aseptic, partly based on raw milk from Bhutanese farmers. Tetra Pak has been instrumental in bringing together financial partners, including Swedish risk capital company Swedfund International and Tetra Laval Credit. Arne Georgzén, Senior Investment Officer at Swedfund International says: ”This is one of the very first industrial investments in Bhutan that have been financed mainly by international capital, with the exception of a few hotels and hydropower plants.” More information about the Bhutan project.

Swedish Partnership for Global Responsibility
• The Swedish Partnership for Global Responsibility (Globalt Ansvar) is a venture initiated by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2002, with three objectives: • to uphold human rights and the principles of sustainable development; • to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish companies; and • to increase knowledge of the multilateral regulatory framework. Swedish companies wishing openly to show their support can join the Swedish Partnership for Global Responsibility. So far twelve companies have joined the Initiative: ICA, Löfbergs Lila, The Body Shop, Folksam, Hennes & Mauritz, OMHEX, ITT Flygt, Vattenfall, KPA, Sweco, Banco and V&S Group. Globalt Ansvar regularly arranges seminars and workshops relevant for the partners. Go to the web site.

Sweden-India Business Council (SIBC)
• The Sweden-India Business Council (SIBC) was established in May 2003 following an initiative by several Swedish companies that have seen the new, fast and promising developments in India. As a result of discussions with the Indian business community, an MOU regarding cooperation was signed between the Indian organisation The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. The responsibility for development of opportunities and activities between these parties is entrusted to the SIBC. Membership is open to Swedish entities based in Sweden or in India and any Indian entities legally established in Sweden. SIBC arranges many events. Go to SIBC’s web page for more information.
SASNET’s Director Prof. Staffan Lindberg participated in a seminar in a SIBC Seminar in Stockholm with the theme ”The Indian train is speeding ahead…” on Thursday 4 March 2004. Read his seminar report.
On Wednesday 23 May 2007, SASNET co-organised a successful afternoon seminar with SIBC in Lund titled ”The New India” (Det nya Indien). More information.

Expert Group On Development Issues (EGDI)
• The Expert Group On Development Issues (EGDI) was initiated by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1999, and ceased to exist in 2007. Its objective was to contribute to an increased understanding of development issues in a global context and to increase the effectiveness of development co-operation policies. The group consisted of 16 Swedish as well as International members, representing different perspectives to development co-operation and research. They included famous personalities like Professor Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University, USA; and the controversial Hernando de Soto, Institute for Liberty and Democracy in Peru; but also Swedish researchers such as Göran Djurfeldt, Dept of Sociology, Lund University.

• In Denmark, the Commission on Development-related Research has released a report called ”Partnerships at the leading edge: A Danish vision for knowledge, research and development.” (Link to the report in pdf format).

• SASNET present links to Swedish corporations/companies working in India, based on a list presented by the Swedish Trade Council. No such lists are unfortunately available for the other South Asian countries currently. Go for the page.

• SwedWatch is network monitoring Swedish corporations in developing countries. The objective of SwedWatch, behind which stands eight Swedish NGO:s, working with human rights, aid, fair trade and environmental issues, is to bring about concrete improvements when conditions are environmentally or socially unsatisfactory. SwedWatch actively seeks contact with persons related to South Asia to take part in their monitoring work. More information on SwedWatch.