- A time of global changes

In his foreign policy address to Parliament (Stortinget), Foreign Affairs Minister Espen Barth Eide said that we are living in a time of transition, a time of global changes in terms of power and influence.

- We are seeing a shift in power between states, Eide said, from the traditional major powers to new, emerging powers, and we are seeing a transfer of power from states to a range of non-state actors.

He said that the purpose of Norwegian foreign policy is to promote stability and predictability in our neighbouring areas, as well as to safeguard Norwegian interests and values in a world that is changing rapidly.

- We are a country with a small, open economy, and strong international norms, institutions and rules are particularly important for us. We depend on binding international cooperation in order to fully realise our economic, political and cultural potential.

- It is therefore in Norway’s self-interest to help to build a better organised world. This is a way of thinking we share with many other states.

In one of the main points in his address, about international terrorism, the Norwegian Foreign Minister said:

- We must also acknowledge that incidents taking place far away in geographical terms can have direct consequences for Norwegian interests and values.

Because this too is a feature of our time: events taking place far from Norway can have a powerful and brutal impact on us. The attack on the gas production plant in In Amenas in January was a dramatic reminder of this. Norwegian citizens, the Norwegian business sector and Norwegian interests were directly targeted by international terrorism. So were citizens from many other countries.

The explanations for the growth of international terrorism are many, and they are complex. Terrorism and extremism therefore have to be fought using a wide range of measures – as the Prime Minister made clear on 23 January this year.

The terrorist attack in Algeria and the way it was dealt with had many foreign policy dimensions.

For example, in the consular field, which has always been the foundation of the Foreign Service, the Ministry’s crisis management system, together with other government bodies, provided assistance for Statoil and the Norwegians who were affected.

The attack also focused attention on our increasingly internationalised business sector and how the Norwegian authorities can best assist companies operating abroad through security assessments, contact with the host country’s authorities, and general business promotion.

Many Norwegian companies – and employees – are engaged in operations in countries where the level of risk is higher than it is in Norway. Risks can never be eliminated. It is precisely for this reason that the Norwegian authorities and companies have to work together to safeguard Norwegian interests and protect Norwegian citizens as effectively as possible. The same applies to a wide range of Norwegian organisations and to the Norwegians who work for them abroad.

At the same time, we must be aware that it is up to Norwegian companies to decide where to operate, and that it is the host country’s authorities who are responsible for ensuring the safety of international business interests and others who are staying in the country.

On a deeper level, the terrorist attack in Algeria has also highlighted the importance of our efforts to combat extremism. These efforts have long been a key element of Norway’s policy in the Middle East and North Africa, in our policy of engagement with new groups in the wake of the Arab Spring, in our support for fragile states with weak government structures, as well as in our work to promote democracy, human rights and international humanitarian law.

And the Foreign Minister concluded his address:

- In our changing world, and in these times of transition, we must protect our interests and fundamental values. We must be aware of the shift in power and influence – economic, political and cultural – towards the East, and we must promote our interests, particularly in the High North, and further develop our deep and longstanding ties in our neighbouring areas, including Europe, and across the Atlantic. We will stand up for international law and the rule of law. We will also be as well prepared as possible to meet global security threats. All this requires a well-adapted Foreign Service and clear strategic aims for Norwegian foreign policy.

(Press release)