National Statement at COSP18

Thank you, Chair 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, colleagues, 

Sweden fully aligns itself with the statement made by the European Union and its Member States.

We are living in challenging times with geopolitical tensions, conflicts and political instability in various regions. This all contributes to global uncertainty, and we know that persons with disabilities often face greater risks in uncertain times. 

I would therefore like to thank the Bureau for selecting the three subthemes for this year’s Conference, which include areas where further efforts are required and where proactive measures are essential to ensure success.

One area where we need to be proactive is digitalisation and AI, if we are to make AI a tool for supporting inclusivity and strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities. However, for this endeavour to be successful, it is crucial to involve persons with disabilities and the organisations that represent them in the process. 

In Sweden, the Minister for Public Administration consulted the Swedish Disability Delegation, which is the Government’s main forum for consultation and dialogue with the disability movement, to get their views regarding Sweden’s new digitalisation strategy. Such incentives are essential if we are to give everyone the best possible conditions to participate in the rapidly evolving digitalised landscape and AI, and also in all parts of society. 

Sweden received the concluding observations and recommendations of the Committee a little more than a year ago. An important part of the continued work with the recommendations has been to involve civil society throughout the process. To this end, several meetings have been held with a broad spectrum of human rights organisations. Through these meetings, the Government has been able to more accurately identify priorities and understand where efforts are most needed. 

Another measure taken by the Government has been to task the Swedish Agency for Participation not only with making the recommendations accessible and disseminating them, but also conducting dialogues with relevant stakeholders, including disability organisations, and obtaining their assessment of what the recommendations may imply for each stakeholder in a national context. 

Sweden is preparing a new action plan for disability policy that is expected to be finalised in 2026. The current disability strategy has identified 12 areas of particular importance and has designated specific government agencies within each area to monitor and report on the implementation of disability policy. This monitoring and reporting forms the basis of the action plan, but of course it is also important to continue following developments made by other countries, pay attention to recommendations from relevant stakeholders and share relevant information and experiences on the implementation of the Convention.

The Conference of the State Parties makes all this possible and is a source of inspiration in our efforts to build disability-inclusive and participatory societies, even in uncertain times.  

Thank you.