Top-Heavy Government Delegation Tours Northern Norway
“Having a Northern Norway where people want to live, educate themselves, work and contribute to job and wealth creation is of major economic, domestic and security policy importance for the entire nation”, says Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. (Photo: Amund Trellevik, High North News)
The Norwegian government is to present its new whitepaper about the High North this autumn, and the government wants input from the Arctic. “We want to hear from as many as possible about how to do this”, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
The prime minister, the foreign minister and ten other ministers of government are touring Northern Norway on 18th and 19th of September in order to receive their final input for the government’s upcoming whitepaper on the Arctic.
“The High North is the government’s most important strategic area of interest. We want to promote and further develop a modern, vibrant and resourceful High North and to spread knowledge about how the Arctic is still characterized by stability and cooperation. We would like to hear from as many as possible about how to do this”, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
The cabinet ministers’ tour will be their final opportunity to hear directly from actors in the High North about how the government should shape its future Arctic policy.
The previous Arctic strategy was presented in the autumn of 2011 and the world has changed quite a bit since then. International structures and institutions are under pressure. Covid-19 has put pressure on business, culture and society in general.
Norway’s security policy environment has changed and all this also affects the High North and the Arctic.
“When we are out in the world, we focus on showing the vibrant High North. Building viable communities in our part of the Arctic is among the most important things we can do for Norwegian interests. Having a Northern Norway where people want to live, educate themselves, work and contribute to job and wealth creation is of major economic, domestic and security policy importance for the entire nation”, says PM Solberg.
The prime minister and the other cabinet members are touring different parts of the region on Friday 18 September. On Saturday 19 September, several of them convene in Tromsø amongst others for a large public meeting.
This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by HNN's Elisabeth Bergquist.