Press Releases from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Norway is providing an additional NOK 40 million to assist the victims of the drought in the Sahel. “I have seen with my own eyes how important it is that help reaches those in need,” commented Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås. Read more

NATO and its partners will agree at the Chicago summit on continued support for Afghan security forces, including for the post-2014 period. Norway will provide NOK 150 million a year for the Afghan army and police force after 2014. Read more

Norway has signed a new MoU on cooperation with Ethiopia, which is increasing steadily. Read more

“Relations between Norway and Poland continue to grow in both breadth and depth. Our cooperation with Poland has developed more rapidly over the last few years than that with almost any other European country,” commented Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

Nordic cooperation is developing rapidly. The Nordic Foreign Ministers had a meeting in Stavanger on 4 May where they discussed ways of strengthening Nordic cooperation and a number of important international issues. Read more

“Norway supports the African Union’s roadmap for resolving the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan. It is urgent that the negotiations move forward. It is encouraging that the AU and the UN are now playing an active role in efforts to find a solution to this tense situation,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

“Norway is concerned about the treatment of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the status of the rule of law in the country,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

“We are pleased to note that South Sudan has now withdrawn its armed forces from the disputed Heglig area. However, we see that Sudan has stepped up its bombing of South Sudan’s territory. We call for an immediate halt to the hostilities,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

“Norway deplores the Israeli Government’s decision to recognise the status of three illegal outposts in the West Bank as settlements. The building and expansion of settlements on occupied land is a violation of international law and the most serious obstacle to a two-state solution,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

“We are concerned by new reports of serious military clashes in the border areas between Sudan and South Sudan. It is vital that the two states respect each other’s sovereignty,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

“Norway deplores the announcement by the Israeli authorities of an expansion of the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. The building of settlements on occupied land is illegal, a violation of international law, and the most serious obstacle to the prospects of a two-state solution,” commented Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

A Governor in Sudan has encouraged soldiers not to take prisoners when they enter enemy territory. Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre commented, “This is a violation of humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.” Read more

Climate change and public health are priority areas in the new round of EEA Grants to Portugal. Some NOK 440 million has been allocated for the period 2009–14. Read more

Norway calls on Sudan and South Sudan to refrain from using military force along the border between the two countries. Read more

The Norwegian Embassy in Damascus has been closed until further notice because of the security situation. Read more

Norway is assisting the two West African countries Sierra Leone and Guinea in negotiations on delimitation of the maritime boundary between them. This weekend, Sierra Leone and Guinea signed an agreement on submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, with a view to resolving outstanding border issues. Read more

“I condemn the coup against the legally elected Government of Mali and President Touré. The armed forces must return power to the legitimate authorities as soon as possible,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more

The Ad Hoc Liason Committee (AHLC) for assistance to the Palestinians met today in Brussels, and confirmed the international community’s continued support for economic development and reforms in the Palestinian Territory. The Palestinians are now facing major economic challenges. “We have a collective responsibility to make sure that the Palestinian state-building project is continued, so that ... Read more

Romania and Norway have entered into their largest ever cooperation agreement. In the new round of funding of the EEA and Norway Grants, NOK 2.3 billion has been allocated to programmes and projects in Romania. Priority has been given to strengthening the justice and home affairs sector and improving the situation for the Roma population. Read more

“Norway condemns the execution of Vladislav Kovalyov and Dmitry Konavalov in Belarus this weekend,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more