Press Release

Norway and Indonesia agreed today to enter into a partnership to support Indonesia's efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and peat lands. Indonesia will take immediate and decisive action to reduce its forest and peat related greenhouse gas emissions. Norway will support those efforts with one billion USD over the next few years.

More than 60 countries agreed to concrete measures to address armed violence in Geneva on 12 May.

“I am pleased that Norway has now been elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council. Our work now begins in earnest. During the next three years we will participate actively in the Council. We will take our share of responsibility and work systematically to promote human rights,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Norway`s State Secretary for International Development, Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, will visit Bangladesh from Saturday April 18th to Tuesday April 21st. The thematic focus for the visit is climate change/mitigation/adaptation, women and gender and labour market issues. Norway has recently issued a White Paper on the Prevention of Humanitarian Disasters. Bangladesh, Vietnam, China and Cuba are suggested countries for initial cooperation in this area.

It is necessary to take measures to decrease the numbers of asylum seekers without a need for protection, says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Professor Muhammad Yunus and Mosammat Taslima Begum on behalf of Grameen Bank received the Nobel Peace prize on 10 December 2006 in Oslo City Hall in the presence of His Royal Highness King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Among many events marking the achievements of Professor Yunus and the Grameen Bank, the Nobel Peace Center organised an exhibition in Oslo portraying the evolution and growth of Grameen Bank and micro credit as a powerful means for poverty eradication, and the role of Professor Yunus in the process since the foundation of Grameen Bank  in 1976. The exhibition “A Fistful of ...