The government of Sweden on Tuesday officially closed its cooperation office in South Sudan, four months after announcing the decision.

The closure was marked by a ceremony in Juba, where the Swedish flag was lowered, as captured in a video posted on the Embassy of Canada’s Facebook page on August 13, 2024.

The Canadian Embassy’s statement expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank you for being such great friends of South Sudan and Canada. You will be missed! Bon voyage, Hilding Lundkvist.”

On April 2, 2024, Hilding Lundkvist, Head of the Cooperation Office, informed the Government of South Sudan of the closure through former Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. James Pitia Morgan.

Lundkvist explained that the closure was part of Sweden’s broader reform agenda to reshape its international cooperation efforts.

Despite the closure, he assured that Sweden would continue to support South Sudan through bilateral relations and by channelling financial aid via international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Dr Morgan acknowledged the positive impact of Sweden’s support over the years, expressing regret over the office’s closure.

He highlighted the significant contributions made by Sweden’s cooperation office to the development of South Sudan.