The United Kingdom, the United States and Japan saved the World Bank’s soft loan arm IDA during negotiations earlier this month over the future funding of the agency. Emerging powers like China and Brazil failed to scale up funding.

Among the Nordics, Norway gives less priority to the World Bank, while the other Nordic countries hold their positions. Sweden is now the eighth largest IDA donor.

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Sida downsizes: 50 fired, dozens more leave voluntarily

The Swedish aid agency Sida has decided to get rid of almost one in six staff in a dramatic move to downsize the organisation in response to tight financial means. The government is keeping the rope tight and has demanded that Sida repays an accumulated deficit of SEK 48 million by the end of 2012.

Sweden replaces Norway as a provider of programme support to the Rome-based FAO. Norway has taken back control of its funding to the UN agency, while the Swedes are satisfied with the progress of reforms, and have signed a four-year agreement for core support.

With its highest pledge to date of USD 66 million for 2011, Sweden is for the first time the largest donor to the UN’s emergency relief fund. The fund remains top-heavy with ten donors, including four Nordics, providing 90 per cent of the money. And overall support may be on the decline.

In a tight financial situation, the Global Fund has decided not to expand its mandate beyond the three diseases. Sweden, which has so far withheld its pledge, will announce its level of support in January.

A consultant’s report shows that the rate of deforestation in Guyana has tripled in the last year. This presents a dilemma for Norway’s innovative forest climate aid agreement with the South American country.

Gay rights put back into UN resolution

Following pressure from the Nordic countries and the United States, a reference to sexual orientation has been put back into the UN resolution on extrajudicial and summary executions.