Peace Efforts

On September 23, Norway, the United States and United Kingdom hosted a dinner to celebrate South Sudan. The three host countries, also known as the troika, helped broker the 2005 peace accord between north and south Sudan. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon attended the event. Read more

Ms. Kristin Kvigne and Ms. Maren Kleiven from the Norwegian Police Service visited United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations for discussion on policing and justice engagement in field operations. Read more

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre commented, “I am pleased that the UN Sanctions Committee has agreed to Norway’s request to release the USD 370 million belonging to the Central Bank of Libya that are currently in Norwegian bank accounts. This is an important means of helping the country’s new authorities in a difficult transition period.” Read more

Norway demands that humanitarian access should be allowed to the two conflict-affected states in Sudan and urges the parties to engage in political negotiations. Read more

Norway sent an application to the UN Sanctions Committee on Libya on August 31st asking for Libyan funds that have been frozen in Norway since March this year to be released. “There are grave humanitarian needs in Libya, and releasing funds that can be used to the benefit of the people in the country is therefore a matter of urgency,” commented Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Read more

“Norway recognises that the National Transition Council (NTC) is at this stage the legitimate governing authority in Libya and will deal with it accordingly,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Monday August 22 condemning the Syrian authorities’ grave and systematic human rights violations. “The resolution sends a clear signal to the Syrian pro-democracy movement that it has the international community’s support,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg today announced that the Government has appointed the 22 July Commission, which will carry out a broad and independent evaluation of the response to the attacks on the government offices in Oslo and on Utøya in order to identify lessons learned. Read more

“With her broad experience of development issues and her insight into Sudan and the peace process, she is the right person to lead the UN’s efforts to help resolve the major challenges facing South Sudan in the time ahead,” said Mr Støre. Read more

“If one man can show so much hatred, imagine how much love we can show together.” So said a young woman who lost friends on the island of Utøya during the attacks of Friday 22 July. The quote has been widely embraced by survivors, families and political leaders in Norway. Read more

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon signed the book of condolences at the Norwegian Consulate General in New York on Wednesday July 27th. He wrote of his profound shock at learning about the tragedy and commended Prime Minister Stoltenberg for his leadership. Read more

The "Bell of Hope" at New York's historic St. Paul's Chapel tolled at noon in remembrance of Norway's victims. Norwegian Consul Aslaug Nygård attended the ceremony which took place across the road from Ground Zero on Wednesday 27th August. Read more

Following the horrific and tragic attacks on government offices in Oslo and a youth summer camp at Utøya, books of condolences will be open for signing at the Norwegian Missions across the United States. In New York, the signing will take place at the Norwegian Consulate General. Read more

On Saturday Norway woke up in deep sorrow over the terrible crimes that had been committed in Oslo and at Utøya on Friday July 22. This was an attack on democracy and on innocent young people. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg gave the following statement on Saturday morning. Read more

Across Norway and around the world people have expressed their sympathy for the Norwegian people after the attacks in Oslo and Utøya on July 22. Improvised memorials have sprung up outside Norwegian Embassies and Consulates General. See photos on Flickr. Read more

“I condemn the Syrian authorities’ arrests, violence, and killing of civilians. Political leaders who turn their military forces on their own people lose their legitimacy. In cases like this the international community should consider responding with sanctions,” commented Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

The UN Human Rights Council has passed a sharply worded resolution condemning the Syrian authorities’ use of violence and calling for an investigation into human rights violations in the country. Norway chaired the Council's meeting in Geneva. Read more

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre commented, “Norway condemns the widespread use of violence and the killing of peaceful protesters in Syria, and urges the regime to put an immediate stop to all violence against civilians.” Read more

Fourteen months after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, close to a million people are still living in temporary camps. Crime remains rife. A Norwegian police team is working with the UN and Haiti's National Police in the capital Port-au-Prince to prevent sexual, gender based violence. Read more

“Following Mr Gbagbo’s fall this week, it is crucial that Mr Ouattara now takes responsibility for putting an end to all violence and reprisals against Mr Gbagbo’s supporters and for protecting the civilian population against looting and abuse,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more