News Archives

The fourth review of China’s trade policies and practices took place on 12 and 14 June 2012 in WTO, Geneva. In its statement, Norway commended China’s resistance to undertake protectionist measures and its work towards strengthening the multilateral negotiations. Norway also mentioned some areas of special interest and concern where we would like to see improvements. The statement was read by t... Read more

The US and Norway agreed today to increase efforts together to improve women’s and children’s health in poor African countries through the Saving Mothers, Giving Life partnership. Norway will provide up to NOK 500 million over a five year period, which will be used to help women and babies through childbirth and the critical first 24 hours after delivery. Read more

The Ministers of Health of the Foreign Policy and Global Health (FPGH) Initiative, comprising Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand, met on the sidelines of the 65th...

• The Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative

The World Health Assembly meets for the 65th time in Geneva 21-26 May 2012. Head of the Norwegian delegation is the Minister of Health and Care Services, Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen. Re-election of t...

• Item 13.15: Norway's Statement on Monitoring of the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals
• Item 13.7: Norway's Intervention on Implementation of the International Health Regulations
• Item 13.6: Norway's Statement on Social Determinants of Health
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Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was especially invited by Director General Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization to address this year’s World Health Assembly. “My point is this:...

• Keynote address by Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the World Health Assembly 2012, Geneva, 22 May 2012

The thirteenth session of the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group was held in Geneva from 21 May to 4 June during which the next group of 14 States had their human...

• Norway's statements during the 13th session of UPR

Every 17 May, we celebrate Norway’s constitution. This is a day for commemorating the ideals of freedom and equality. It is also the date of the International Day Against Homophobia and transphobia, which will be marked all over the world. Read more

States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions as well as other relevant actors gathered in Geneva 16. - 19. april 2012 for the convention's intersessional meetings. These informal meetings allow for discussion and consultations on the implementation of the convention, and help strengthen the norm that keeps state- and non-state actors from using or obtaining cluster munitions. Read more

Close to 250 representatives of states, international organizations, civil society and academia participated at “Moving to Safety: Migration Consequences of Complex Crises,” an International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) 2012 workshop organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Ambassador Steffen Kongstad moderated the first session of the workshop, which looked at immediate... Read more

On 4 April Honduras requested consultations with Australia regarding the 2011 Tobacco Plain Packaging Act and related regulations, requiring plain packaging on tobacco in an effort to address the severe public health problem related to its use (DS435). Honduras argues that Australia’s law violates the 1994 WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), as well a... Read more

Delegations from the EFTA states and the customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan (RuBeKa)  met for their 5 th round of negotiations on a broad-based preferential trade agreement  from 16 to 19  April 2012 in Geneva. Further progress was achieved, and a detailed programme for follow-up was agreed. The next round will take place after summer. The Norwegian delegation was heade Read more

Foreign Minister Støre and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay signed an agreement in May 2011 on a financial contribution totaling NOK 180 million in support of the OHCHR’s activities in the period 2011–2013. Read more

States Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and non-governmental organisations convened at the Meeting of Experts for discussions on Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines (MOTAPM) 2 - 4 April 2012. Norway's statement was delivered by H.E. Ambassador Steffen Kongstad, and stresses the humanitarian impact of anti-vehicle mines. Read more

Over the last year and a half, Norwegian enterprises have experienced an over-estimation on the import value of herring, mackerel and capelin upon import into the Ukraine. The customs value used by Ukrainian customs authorities does not seem to reflect the actual value of the fish shipments exported from Norway. Rather, it seems like the customs value upon import into the Ukraine is based on... Read more

On 30 March, Norway cosponsored a statement delivered by Ambassador Michel Punke of the United States on the deepening concerns regarding the nature and application of trade-restrictive measures taken by Argentina, which are adversely affecting imports into Argentina from a growing number of WTO Members. The other cosponsors were Australia, the European Union, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New... Read more

On Friday 30 March ambassadors from the 42 member states to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) adopted a revised Agreement. Negotiations to improve the Agreement started in 1997, and agreement was reached on the Ministerial Conference on 15 December 2011. The results are important, with substantial improvements in market access coverage creating new market opportunities and additiona... Read more

On 13 March Ukraine requested consultations with Australia regarding the 2011 Tobacco Plain Packaging Act and related regulations, requiring plain packaging on tobacco in an effort to address the severe public health problem related to its use. Ukraine argues that Australia’s law violates the 1994 WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), as well as the... Read more

On 13 March 2012 Norway’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Chair of the General Council, ambassador Elin Østebø Johansen, gave a presentation on the WTO Dispute Settlement Body Developments in 2011. The presentation was held at the Fifth Annual Update on WTO Dispute settlement, hosted by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Read more

The 19th session of the Human Rights Council was held from the 27th of February to the 23th of March. Read Norway's statements during the session below.

• 19th session of the Human Rights Council

On Wednesday 15 February the Government of Norway launched the first white paper on global health in foreign and development policy outlining Norway’s ambitions in this field. The white paper also...

• Programme for February 15th
• Introduction by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre
• Statement by Minister of Health and Care Services, Ms. Anne-Grethe Strøm-Erichsen
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