The Swedish government said the motive for phasing out development aid to these five countries is to instead prioritize aid to Ukraine. However, the Swedish embassy in Tanzania sees risks with the plan to phase out development aid. According to the embassy, if Sweden ends aid without strategically communicating what has been achieved, it risks losing visibility, political influence, and leaving room for other actors to shape the narrative, with the image of Sweden affecting national security and business opportunities.
The embassy proposed a documentary film estimated to cost around 200,000 kronor to convey a cohesive and emotionally engaging story about the relationship between Sweden and Tanzania, assessing this as a small cost relative to the 8-10 billion dollars Sweden has invested in aid to Tanzania over 63 years. Development and Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa rejected the proposal for a documentary film. According to SVT Nyheter, Dousa believes the same goals could be achieved through simpler means, such as social media.
According to SVT Nyheter, Dousa also described being positive that the Swedish ambassador contacted them with an unusual idea and encourages more to do the same. SVT has sought comment from the Swedish embassy in Tanzania, which declined an interview. It remains unclear what specific negative consequences the embassy predicts if aid is phased out without strategic communication, how the government plans to communicate the phase-out to affected countries and manage potential diplomatic fallout, and whether alternative measures like social media campaigns will be implemented to maintain influence in Tanzania.