The Oslo Forum 09 opens on Tuesday. The Forum seeks to provide diverse, frank and discreet discussions between top mediators and other key actors from around the world on major issues affecting peace and conflict today.
The Forum, the seventh of its kind, will be hosted by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere. Co-host will be former UN's mediator Martin Griffiths, now head of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD) in Geneva.
Among the topics on the agenda will be Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and the Middle East.
Foreign Minister Stoere will have separate meetings with among others Liberia's Foreign Minister Olubanke King-Akerele, President of the Palestinian Council on Foreign Relations Ziad Abu Amr and Secretary General of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan.The Oslo forum features an annual global event in Oslo and is complemented by regional retreats in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Participation is by invitation-only.
The Norwegian work for peace and reconciliation is characterised by long-term contributions and commitments, flexible resources and close cooperation with national and international NGOs. A central element in Norwegian peace efforts is to support and strengthen the UN’s capability of responding to armed conflicts.
The HD Centre is an independent Swiss Foundation dedicated to helping improve the global response to armed conflict. It attempts to achieve this by mediating between warring parties and providing support to the broader mediation community.
(Vaart Land/OsloForum)
Rolleiv Solholm
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