Sweden investigates aid misallocation in Mali amid corruption concerns in Kenya

A total of 45 million Swedish kronor was allocated for a census project in Mali. Following delayed reporting on the project’s progress, the Swedish embassy and an external auditing firm began an investigation. The auditors uncovered that 7.3 million kronor of Swedish aid had not been correctly accounted for, with indications suggesting that the funds may have been misappropriated. Johan Forssell stated, “We have initiated a process for recovery. If they cannot demonstrate where the money has gone, it must be refunded.” This pertains to funds used in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.

In January of this year, the government decided to withdraw its aid to Mali, a decision made prior to being informed of the misallocated 7 million kronor.

Additionally, in February, an agreement was reached between Sweden and Kenya’s Finance Ministry regarding 200 million kronor designated to support small-scale farmers in Kenya. To date, 1.6 million kronor has been disbursed for the “Kenya Agricultural Business Development Project” (KABDP), which was intended to span several years. Forssell announced that Sweden has immediately ceased its support for this project. This decision follows a significant corruption scandal in Kenya, which sparked widespread protests and led President William Ruto to dismiss all his ministers in July.

The Swedish government has also gathered information indicating potential corruption issues within Kenya’s agricultural sector. Forssell expressed concern, stating, “We take the risk of corruption seriously, and the information makes us uneasy about ensuring the funds are used properly.” Sweden’s intention is to redirect the remaining portion of the 200 million kronor to a different project in Kenya.