Swedish embassy film proposal rejected by minister

The Swedish government has turned down a proposal from its embassy in Tanzania to produce a documentary film promoting Sweden’s development work in the country, despite the minister praising the initiative, SVT Nyheter reports.

The embassy suggested the 200,000 kronor (approx. €17,500) film as a way to counter potential reputational damage after Sweden announced it would phase out aid to Tanzania—along with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bolivia—to redirect funds to Ukraine.

In a report to the government, the embassy warned that ending aid without strategic communication risked “losing visibility, political influence, and allowing others to shape the narrative about Sweden.” It argued that Sweden’s image abroad affects national security and business opportunities for Swedish companies.

The proposed documentary aimed to “convey a cohesive and emotionally engaging story of the Sweden-Tanzania relationship: past, present, and future,” according to the embassy, framing the cost as modest compared to Sweden’s 8–10 billion USD in aid to Tanzania over 63 years.

However, Aid and Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa (Moderate Party) dismissed the idea, calling it a poor use of taxpayer money. “I think it’s a bad idea to spend 200,000 kronor of taxpayers’ money on a film,” he told SVT, suggesting social media could achieve the same goal more cheaply.

Dousa nonetheless welcomed the embassy’s proactive approach. “I love that ambassadors reach out directly with this kind of input and ideas,” he said, encouraging more such initiatives while acknowledging not all would be approved.

The Swedish embassy in Tanzania declined SVT’s request for an interview.