Emergency support to other countries

Sweden provides emergency support to countries affected by natural disasters or other kinds of emergency situation requiring help from other countries.

Help is provided through the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, which, after a decision by the Minister for Defence and the Government, organises and implements the operation.

The responsibilities and operations of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency cover a wide area. The remit includes carrying out humanitarian operations, demining, civil capacity building initiatives and civil crisis management initiatives.

The Swedish Rescue Services Agency (a predecessor of the Civil Contingencies Agency) has been carrying out support and rescue operations since 1988. Most of the operations are in the form of support to UN or EU operations. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency is also the contact point for the UN, EU and NATO/EADRCC and others when crises or disasters have arisen.

The operations vary considerably. The most common involve the Civil Contingencies Agency supporting UN or EU staff with workplaces, housing and specialist skills in such areas as water purification, disaster coordination and logistics.

They also send different types of rescue forces to affected areas and contribute to reconstruction of ruined infrastructure. The Civil Contingencies Agency works actively to improve its capacity to also develop countries and regions' own ability to manage disasters, major accidents and crisis management. The Agencys remit also includes helping Swedes in emergencies abroad through the "Joint Response Team".

At present the Civil Contingencies Agency is conducting operations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan and the Palestinian territories.