As we move closer to ICLD’s final day of operations on 31 December 2026, we would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved together and to express our deepest gratitude to all those who have been part of our journey.
By the end of September, all partner municipalities still participating in the programme are expected to submit their final reports, marking an important milestone in the concluding phase of our programmes. After the end of October, only a limited number of activities will remain, and our work will gradually transition towards finalisation and closure.
Although our operations are coming to an end, the results of our shared efforts will continue to live on. Over the years, municipalities, local governments, elected representatives, civil servants, civil society actors and community leaders across the world have worked together to strengthen local democracy, promote inclusion and participation, and improve lives in communities large and small.
ICLD would already like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our partners, participants, friends, supporters and colleagues. Your dedication, engagement and belief in the importance of local democracy have made a lasting difference. Together, you have contributed to building more transparent, accountable, inclusive and resilient communities.
While this chapter is drawing to a close, the knowledge, relationships and commitment created through our partnerships will remain. We are proud of what we have achieved together and deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration that have defined ICLD’s work.
Thank you for helping to make the world a better place.
Some of our tools, including publications, policy briefs and toolboxes, will remain available through SALAR International. More information about this will be published shortly.
Background to the Closure of ICLD
On 22 January 2026, the Swedish Government decided, in a decision signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, that the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) will no longer receive funding through Sida after 31 December 2026. While ICLD’s work has been recognised and appreciated, the organisation is not currently aligned with the Government’s priority areas.
This is a serious and negative development, not only for the staff directly affected, but also for Swedish democracy policy, international development cooperation and the broader global effort to strengthen local democracy, as well as for ICLD’s many partners around the world.
The decision to end funding — and with it, the important work carried out through ICLD — is deeply upsetting. ICLD’s impact has been real, meaningful and far-reaching, extending well beyond what is immediately visible. What weighs particularly heavily is the human impact of this decision, not only for the local governments and communities involved, but also for the professionals and colleagues who have invested their expertise, energy and commitment in this work.
ICLD is the organisation established by the Swedish Government and Sida to enable Swedish municipalities and regions to engage in international development cooperation in their own right. Through ICLD, local governments act as agents of change — sharing experiences, building capacity and promoting democracy and human rights at the local level, where democracy is practised in people’s daily lives.
When ICLD is phased out, it is not only an organisation that disappears. A well-established and effective model for democracy assistance will also be lost. This model is built on partnerships between local authorities, long-term engagement and institutional capacity-building. This is particularly important in collaborations with Ukrainian municipalities, where Swedish partners currently contribute to strengthening local governance, the rule of law and democratic structures — elements that are crucial for resilience and reconstruction.
ICLD is proud of and grateful for the excellent work carried out by all its partners around the world. Your work is especially important at a time like this. Its full importance and significance cannot truly be measured, but please be assured that you have made a concrete and lasting impact.