The Norwegian government is boosting its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by NOK 48 million this year, because of drought and conflict.”The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is now even more demanding because of the drought,” said Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide. She made an unannounced visit to the terror-plagued country last week, and met both Afghanistan’s […]
Hungary wants ‘its money’ from Norway
October 1, 2018
The Hungarian government has been complaining once again that Norway is withholding its majority share of the financial aid the European Economic Area (EEA) countries dole out to Hungary as part of the EEA’a trade agreement with the EU. Norway wants to make sure its financial contribution is delivered to and controlled by civilian organizations, […]
Foreign aid subject to major reforms
May 27, 2018
Norway remains one of the world’s major contributors to foreign aid, donating more than 1 percent of gross national product to development projects every year. The new government minister in charge, though, is set to launch some major reforms, in how the aid is administered and in aid projects themselves. “There are some new initiatives,” Development Minister […]
EU post sacrificed in favor of foreign aid
January 18, 2018
Of all the changes resulting from her goverment reshuffle, Prime Minister Erna Solberg was getting perhaps the most kudos for her decision to replace a ministerial post responsible for EU issues with one aimed at monitoring foreign aid. It’s forcing a major reorganization within Norway’s foreign ministry, but commentators on both the left and the […]
Red Cross red-faced over Haiti funding
October 31, 2017
The Norwegian Red Cross was resorting to damage control on Tuesday, after newspaper VG reported that it had wrongly informed donors about how it spent funds raised for earthquake assistance on Haiti in 2010. A Norwegian expert on foreign aid claimed the organization owed its owners an apology, and they got one. “The Norwegian Red […]
Charity drive raises millions for Unicef
October 23, 2017
Norway’s annual charity drive organized by state broadcaster NRK and known as TV-aksjonen, raised NOK 218.5 million (USD 28 million) on Sunday for Unicef. The money poured in from Norway’s roughly 5 million residents and will be used to help more children in poverty-stricken and war-torn areas go to school. The fund-raising effort was boosted […]
Prosecutor drops ministry probe
June 23, 2017
UPDATED: Norway’s state prosecutor (Statsadvokaten) was raising questions Friday about how the country’s foreign ministry (Utenriksdepartementet, UD) has handled a conflict of interest case involving the former Norwegian ambassador to Indonesia. Prosecutor Jørn Maurud decided to drop further inquiry, concluding that nothing criminal had occurred. Newspaper VG has been writing detailed and documented stories all week […]
Ministry questioned over errant envoy
June 20, 2017
Norway’s former ambassador to Indonesia was stripped of his title late last year and recalled to Oslo, after failing to declare a potential conflict of interest tied to funding for an organization run by a woman with whom he was romantically involved. He still works as a diplomat in the foreign ministry, which faces questions […]
More aid mounted for famine in Yemen
May 4, 2017
Norway is among countries vowing to send more humanitarian aid to Yemen, which is facing a famine that’s reaching what some call Biblical proportions. Calls went out on Thursday as well for Saudi Arabia to halt its intevention in the country’s civil war and demand a cease-fire. The Norwegian agreement recently agreed to increase its […]
Norway poised to offer major emergency aid
February 27, 2017
Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende announced late last week that the country will be donating up to NOK 1.6 billion (USD 195 million) in emergency aid over the next three years to Nigeria and the area around Lake Chad. The announcement came after Norway had co-hosted a donor conference for an estimated 11 million people […]
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