Sida’s practice of transferring billions of crowns in aid assignments to Swedish state agencies violates both Swedish public procurement law and EU procurement directives, a report by AffärsConcept AB concludes.

As a general rule, such assignments should be tendered competitively.

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Points to new billion-crown aid market

A Nordic aid consultancy market potentially worth well over a billion crowns could open up if the Swedish government accepts the conclusions of a new consultant’s report.

Norfund presents a record result for 2007. Its surplus amounts to NOK 242 million with the lion’s share coming from SN Power. In future, Norfund’s main focus will be Africa and poor countries in other regions.

Norway and the World Bank have agreed to arrange a joint conference this fall on illegal capital flight from developing countries. The initiative comes after Norway gave up trying to convince the World Bank to do a study on the role of tax havens in illegal capital flight from developing countries.

Norwegian consultants are following the discussion about competition neutrality in Sweden with interest, since public procurement regulations are similar in the two countries.

Statistics provided to Development Today by Sida over the last several years indicate a surge in aid funds transferred to Swedish government authorities. Overall Sida transfers to state agencies have almost quadrupled in the last five years.

Points to new billion-crown aid market

Surge in aid-financed assignments for state agencies

New report cracks state agencies’ monopoly in aid

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