Dec 19, 2007, 10:49 GMT
Stockholm - The Swedish government Thursday said it would close the Swedish embassies in Angola, the Philippines and Laos next year while opening new embassies in Afghanistan, Sudan and Belarus.
With bilateral aid programmes due to be phased out in Angola, the Philippines and Laos there was no need to retain embassies there, the Foreign Ministry said.
The Swedish embassy in South Africa would be in charge of monitoring developments in Angola while the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) would run the Laos office during the phase out period.
The government's decision has been on the cards for some time, and the plans have been criticized by business leaders including Carl- Henric Svanberg, chief executive of telecommunications group Ericsson.
In a recent letter to Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling, Svanberg said the governments of Ericsson rivals 'not the least China, but also in Europe and North America are doing a lot to increase their presence in these markets,' business newspaper Dagens Industri quoted the letter as saying.
Opening a new embassy in Afghanistan would help Sweden monitor developments in the country that has in recent years become a major recipient of Swedish aid. Sweden has also contributed forces to the NATO-led ISAF forces.
The embassy in Sudan was due to open early 2008 and would enable Sweden to further engage in peace and conflict resolution efforts, the Foreign Ministry said.
The need for an embassy in Belarus was motivated by the country's vicinity to Sweden and Sweden's bilateral aid programmes.
Non-NATO member Sweden was also to open an embassy to NATO in Brussels.
The Swedish government in November said it would close its embassies in Botswana and Nicaragua and consulates in Gdansk, Poland and Phuket, Thailand.
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