The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Georgia signed on May 20 a new cooperation agreement for the period of 2014-2020.

It is part of Sweden's new reform cooperation strategy for the Western Balkans, Turkey and Eastern Europe with total aid fund of 8 billion Swedish kronor (about USD 1.2 billion) in 2014-2020 of which SEK 4.2 billion (about USD 638 million) is planned for six Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine).

The agreement was signed by Georgian finance minister Nodar Khaduri and Sida's director general Charlotte Petri Gornitzka in Tbilisi.

Priority areas of the new cooperation agreement are programs related to integration with the EU; strengthening democracy, human rights and rule of law, and environmental issues.

“Today, Sweden is one of the largest donors in Georgia,” Hillevi Engström, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation said. “Through the new strategy, the government of Sweden makes a long-term commitment to continue to provide substantial support to Georgia.”

“The road to EU integration requires extensive and sometimes tough reforms such as better rule of law and strengthened democratic systems. Sweden will maintain its support for Georgia in its efforts to continue on the path towards the EU. The greater the effort, the more support Sweden and the EU can lend,” she said.