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Norway attracted attention as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) began its 54 Session in New York last week. The Minister for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, Mr. Audun Lysbakken, was the only male speaker scheduled to speak on the opening day. The UN Secretary-General invited Norway and China to share the podium when the UN marked the International Women's Day. And Lysbakken’s... Read more >

Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has become member of the UN High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing. The group was recently appointed by the UN Secretary-General, to mobilise the financing promised for efforts against climate change during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen last December. Read more >

The General Assembly adopted Friday 26 February a new follow-up resolution on the Goldstone report with broad support. 98 countries voted in favor, 31 abstained and 7 voted against. Norway voted in favor of the resolution which is a modified version of the GA 64/10 resolution adopted on 5 November 2009. Read more >

Norway has assisted the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in training 120 South Sudanese police officers. The graduates will be sent to train around 1000 local police officers on election security during the forthcoming election this April. While this is the first time UNMIS is engaged in such "Training of Trainers" activities, the South Sudan authorities has signalled a desire for more long-term Nor... Read more >

Burkina Faso and Moldova delivered their instruments of ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions to the United Nations this month. That means the necessary 30 states has been reached for the treaty to enter into force August 1st, 2010. The occasion was marked by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations with a reception at the United Nations Headquarter Building, Friday 1... Read more >

A colourful cast came together at the United Nations to discuss the role of philanthropy in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment on Monday. Among the more than 300 participants in this special event were Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York,the Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis, and Norway’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Morten Wetland. Read more >

“It’s finally clear that the ban will take effect. Through this convention we’ve contributed to making the world safer, we’ve strengthened international humanitarian law and those affected will now finally get help,” says Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more >

The following text is the communique of the 5th Plenary of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The meeting, which took place in New York on January 28, 2010, was chaired by Norway. Read more >

The Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia, which is currently chaired by Norway, is meeting in New York on Thursday January 28. A great number of countries and organisations are taking part. The main goal is to coordinate and strengthen efforts that protect shipping off the Somali coast from piracy. Experience shows that the effort is paying off. Meanwhile the pirates have extended t... Read more >

“Haiti's people still needs our help. The UN has so far received only half of what it has requested. That’s why we will double the Norwegian contribution to humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti,” said Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Norway’s contribution to Haiti now stands at NOK 200 million (USD 35 million). Read more >

Millions of children could miss the opportunity to go to school as a result of the financial crisis. The UN sounds the alarm in a new report on education. " We need to increase our global effort to ensure education for all," says Norway's Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim. Read more >

Norwegian aid to the earthquake victims in Haiti is to be increased to NOK 100 million (USD 17.5 million). “I am deeply saddened by the extremely difficult situation in Haiti. Although aid is flowing into the country, the needs will continue to be great in the weeks and months ahead,” said Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim. Read more >

“The earthquake in Haiti is a humanitarian disaster striking a people living in poverty. Locals have made major life-saving efforts, but it is now crucial that we see a broad and coordinated international relief operation. Norway will contribute NOK 40 million (USD 7 million) to immediate relief efforts”, says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Read more >

The aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti set a grim backdrop to the first UNICEF executive board meeting of 2010. Delegates gathered at the UN headquarters in New York from 12 to 14 January to discuss the departure of UNICEF’s Executive Director Ann Veneman and the need for sustained support for the fund, but the situation in Haiti became a natural talking point. Read more >

The UN General Assembly held an extra-ordinary session today to discuss the situation in Haiti following the devastating earthquake which struck near the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. Millions of people in the Caribbean nation have been affected. The UN has so far allocated USD 10 million in aid from the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), which Norway supports with substantial sums. ... Read more >

Every fall the Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget, sends two groups of observers to the United Nations General Assembly. In 2009 Elisabeth Aspaker, from the political party Høyre, was one of the Norwegian members of parliament that spent time the UN. Here she reflects on those four hectic weeks she spent in New York. Read more >

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said in Oslo today that he will initiate a climate group consisting of the most important forest countries. Read more >

Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former US Vice President Al Gore presented a report at the climate summit in Copenhagen, which showed that snow and ice are melting at an alarming rate. Read more >

Human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity was the topic of a panel debate that Norway organized with the UN Permanent Missions of Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France and the Netherlands on Thursday 10 December. The event was especially timely as several countries are looking to tighten legislation that criminalizes lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. Read more >

“We want to show our strong commitment to UN humanitarian efforts at a difficult time,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, commenting on Norway’s increased contribution to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and a new multi-year cooperation agreement with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Read more >