Eng.
/ Fr. / Swe.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (left) with Sten Tolgfors (Minister of Defence, Sweden)
NATO-Sweden relations should be viewed through the Partnership for Peace framework which Sweden joined in 1994. NATO and Sweden actively cooperate in global peace and security operations and have developed practical cooperation in many other areas. An Individual Partnership Programme (IPP) lays out the programme of cooperation between Sweden and NATO.
Swedish cooperation with NATO is based on a longstanding policy of military non-alignment and a firm national consensus. From this basis, the Sweden selects areas of cooperation with NATO that match joint objectives.
NATO values very highly its relations with Sweden. The Allies view Sweden as an effective and pro-active partner and contributor to international security, which shares key values such as the promotion of international security, democracy and human rights.
NATO and Sweden detail areas of cooperation and timelines in Sweden’s Individual Partnership Programme (IPP), which is jointly agreed for a two-year period. Key areas include security and peacekeeping cooperation, crisis management and civil emergency planning.
Sweden has also worked alongside the Allies in security and peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
More…Sweden has a longstanding policy of military non-alignment that remains in effect today. In line with this, Sweden is not pursuing NATO membership but joined the new Partnership for Peace in 1994 to work alongside Allies in areas where bilateral aims converge. In 1997, the country joined the new Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). Sweden has demonstrated a strong political commitment to the EAPC, and has been generous in its financial contributions to Partnership for Peace Trust Funds, as well as offering practical assistance to other Partners though the provision of training.
Sweden joined the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) in 1995, to foster interoperability with NATO forces in peace-support operations. Since joining PfP, Sweden has played an active role and offers expertise to other Partners and Allies, with a special focus on peacekeeping, civil-emergency planning and civil-military cooperation.
More…