The director of Nordic Africa Institute emphasizes Nordic countries support and partnership with African countries.
He identified the main features of the Nordic partnership or model as: a) an involvement without strategic foreign policy interest (in contrast to other major players), b) a commitment to long term engagement, c) a pragmatic and flexible use of human and financial resources and d) a basis of mutual interest. Not the least this last dimension has gained prominence if we look at the recent policy documents with their manifold references to the role of Africa in the global development.
In the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU strategy, Nordic priorities are also prominent. In 2008 Nordic member states were asked to indicate there preferred choice of partnership. Out of the eight working groups created within the institutional framework of the strategy Nordic countries are active in all but two: Millennium development goals and energy. Sweden and Finland are in Peace and Security, Sweden in Democratic governance and human rights and in Trade, regional integration and infrastructure, Finland, Sweden and Denmark are in Climate change, Denmark and Sweden in Migration and finally, Finland and Sweden in Science, information society and space.
