APRIL 19, 2024

Issue #11

We hope you enjoy this brief look into recent developments in Norway and at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C. If you are not subscribed but would like to be, please add your contact information to our Google Form. We also recommend following our social media accounts (links above).

Cover art: Haakon Lundkvist, VisitNorthwest.no.

This week, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon made his long-awaited official trip to the West Coast. He was accompanied by Minister for Trade Jan Christian Vestre and Minister for Digitalization Karianne Tung. The delegation visited San Francisco and Seattle.

The aim of the visit was to promote cooperation with California and Washington on the green transition, new technologies, and maritime industries. Norway and the West Coast are strong partners who agree that collaboration is crucial to the green shift.

For a full account of H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon's visit, click here.

Photo: Tom Hanssen, Innovasjon Norge

On April 18, Norwegian Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram visited the Pentagon, where he met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Gram spoke about Norway's recently proposed plan for the Armed Forces that would provide a historic increase in defense spending, with 600 billion kroner over the next 12 years (approximately $60 billion). He and Austin also discussed U.S.-Norwegian bilateral cooperation and Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, among other topics.

"The United States is our closest ally, and we work closely and well together in many fields. We have discussed various areas where we can further develop our cooperation, such as on situational awareness in the north," Gram said. He noted that, as a founding member of NATO, Norway has long served as NATO's "eyes and ears" in the Arctic region.

To read more about the meeting, click here.

Earlier while in D.C., Gram met with Senator Tim Kaine, with whom he spoke about the close relationship between Norway and the U.S., Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East. He also laid wreaths for the Norwegians buried at Arlington National Cemetery and participated in the Embassy's "Looking North" security seminar (further details on the latter in the article below).

Photo: The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

In partnership with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, the Norwegian Embassy hosted "Looking North: A Conference on Security in the Arctic" on April 15. During the conference, government officials and leading Arctic experts assessed game-changers in the region and how the U.S., Norway, and its allies and partners can collectively approach security in the region.

Speakers and panelists included Norwegian Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram and Storting Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense/Former Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs/Former Minister of Defense Ine Eriksen Søreide. Attendees also heard from Norwegian Ambassador Anniken Krutnes, Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Jenna Ben-Yehuda, Wilson Center Polar Institute Senior Fellow/Atlantic Council Board Director Sherri Goodman, U.S. Department of State Arctic Security Officer Kathleen Larkin, United States Department of Defense Arctic & Oceans Policy Director Esther McClure, Embassy of Sweden in the U.S. Ambassador Urban Ahlin, and Embassy of Finland in the U.S. Ambassador Mikko Hautala. 
 
The panels were moderated by Atlantic Council Transatlantic Security Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow David Auerswald and Atlantic Council President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick Kempe.

To read Minister Gram's keynote speech, click here.

Photo: The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

April 10-12 marked the 10th Arctic Encounter Symposium – the largest Arctic policy conference in North America. Several Embassy employees, including Norwegian Ambassador Anniken Krutnes, attended, among beautiful surroundings in Anchorage, AK.

Ambassador Krutnes participated in two panels on the importance of resource management in the Arctic. For Norway, ensuring economic, social, and environmental sustainability is crucial for managing the Arctic going forward. Another attendee was Norwegian State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson. He spoke on several panels (including with Senator Lisa Murkowski), where he highlighted the need for preserving peace and stability in the Arctic. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining the Arctic Council as the main format for governance and cooperation in the region.

Photo: The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Team Norway organized the recent inaugural “Look to Norway” event at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO, on April 9. The event focused on opportunities for deepening the U.S.-Norwegian relationship in the space domain. Speakers included Ambassador Anniken Krutnes, Norwegian Space Agency Director General Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, USSF Commander Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, and Norwegian Intelligence Service Chief VADM Nils Andreas Stensønes.

A panel discussion followed Norwegian and American keynote addresses. With Norway’s recent addition to the Combined Space Operations Initiative Principals Board, the event was themed around Norway’s growing space ecosystem and opportunities for industry and government cooperation among close allies.

Photo: The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

We enjoyed our recent visit from Liberty University international affairs students. The group had the chance to hear from our DCM, Torleiv Opland, and asked a wide range of thought-provoking questions on topics like international security, the Arctic, and diplomatic life. Thanks for coming!

Photo: The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.