Sunday, October 4, 2026
Science

Fibre takes command in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Fibre has become the most important technology for the delivery of pay-TV in Norway, according to the country’s communications regulator, Nkom.

At the end of 2018, 757,000 subscriptions were delivered over fibre. This is an increase of more that 94,000 since 2017.

Nkom says the number has increased because operators that offer fibre services also offer TV. However, while it is common for the two to be bought together, it’s not as closely linked as it once was.

The number of cable TV subscriptions continues to decline, as does satellite TV. There is also a slight decrease in the number of paid subscriptions in the terrestrial network.

At the end of 2018, there were a total of more than 2.2 million TV subscriptions in Norway. It is 28,000 fewer than a year earlier.

Streamers such as Netflix and HBO are not included in the figures.

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China and Norway

China’s top legislator visits Norway to promote bilateral ties

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Li Zhanshu(L), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), meets with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo, Norway, May 16, 2019.

China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu paid an official friendly visit to Norway from May 15 to 18, expecting to promote the development of Sino-Norwegian ties to score more progress. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

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NATO and Norway

US, Norwegian troops join Lapland military exercise

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A major international military exercise began in Sodankylä, Finnish Lapland, on Wednesday. About 100 foreign soldiers are taking part in manoeuvres in Sodankylä, along with several Norwegian tanks.

The Riekko 19 field training exercise, named after the willow grouse and led by the Jaeger Brigade, is being held in the Kyläjärvi–Lintuselkä–Mellankangas area through 24 May, with a two-day break over next weekend. It’s part of the larger Bold Quest event being held in various parts of Finland over the next couple of weeks.

Archive photo of a CV90 combat vehicle. Image: Mats Carlsson / Försvarsmakten

Taking part in the Sodankylä manoeuvres are about 800 people and 200 vehicles. Most of the troops are from the Finnish Defence Forces’ Jaeger Brigade and Kainuu Brigade. Also participating are roughly 100 soldiers from the US and Norway, as well as four Norwegian CV90 combat tanks.

“From the US, there are around 70 people from a National Guard Engineer Company and around 10 Marines, along with a Norwegian infantry fighting vehicle detachments of about 20 people,” says Lieutenant Colonel Petri Sipilä from the Jaeger Brigade, who is leading the Riekko 19 field training exercise.

Sipilä explains that the first three days of the event will include basic exercises such as testing communications equipment and practising the use of English. Next week’s schedule includes a five-day combat exercise.

Testing compatibility

Riekko 19 is part of a larger series of US-led international military cooperation events known as Bold Quest, launched in 2003. The Finnish Army has taken part in Bold Quest events abroad on a limited scale since 2010, when it was held in Norway. This is the first time one has been held on Finnish soil, and only the third time it has been outside of the US.

“The foreign troops have brought equipment in order to test the compatibility of our C5 [Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Counter-intelligence] systems,” Sipilä says.

Sodankylä is the main venue for the Bold Quest event, but the Defence Staff headquarters has not revealed how many people have come to the municipality for the event.

Sodankylä, with a population of just over 8,000, is in central Lapland, nearly 1,000 km north of the capital Helsinki.

Bold Quest operations will also be held in Rovajärvi and Rovaniemi in Lapland as well as Rissala airfield in central Finland and the southern towns of Riihimäki and Turku. Altogether some 2,200 people are participating, including some 700 Finns. Staff from 14 countries are involved.

Most of the countries in the Bold Quest coalition are in North America and Europe, but it also includes Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.

Sources Yle

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Media Freedom

Kazakhstan to Welcome Bannon and Other Speakers of Influence

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Steve Bannon, US President Donald Trump’s election campaign strategist, will be appearing on a new stage today: Central Asia.

The occasion will be the Eurasian Media Forum (EAMF), an annual East-West conference hosted by Kazakhstan.

The three-day event will take place on 22-24 May in Almaty, the country’s southern commercial hub.

The founding Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Doctor of Political Sciences Dr. Dariga Nazarbayeva.

Bannon is one of a number of key speakers announced by the organizers also Robert James “Jim” Woolsey Jr. is an American lawyer and diplomat who headed the Central Intelligence Agency from February 5, 1993, until January 10, 1995. Others include George Galloway (UK) – British politician, broadcaster and writer, and Mark Siegel (USA) – Deputy Assistant to the U.S. President J. Carter, Executive Director of the National Committee of the Democratic Party (1973 – 1977) , Many others from Norway , Sweden and Denmark.

Robert James “Jim” Woolsey Jr. is an American lawyer and diplomat who headed the Central Intelligence Agency from February 5, 1993, until January 10, 1995

All three will be taking part in the session CRISIS OF TRUST. GLOBAL POWER BALANCE, debating one of the Forum’s critical global issues.

The organizers are expecting to welcome more than 500 delegates from 60 countries, a unique mix of politicians, journalists and experts from East and West, including the Eurasian region.

The founding Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Doctor of Political Sciences Dr. Dariga Nazarbayeva.

Under the overall theme: ‘The World Today: Transforming Reality?’, the Forum’s topical news agenda will cover international relations, economic trends, consumption issues, environmental threats, and the impact of artificial intelligence. Professional media questions – for example, ‘Bloggers: the new rock stars?’ – and regional issues will complete the menu.

After a first day of expert masterclasses, the 16th Forum will be officially opened at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Almaty on Thursday 23 May.

The series was launched on the initiative of Dr. Dariga Nazarbayeva in 2002 to promote East-West understanding after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Manhattan and Washington.

Senate Speaker of Kazakhstan Dr.Dariga Nazarbayeva.

Senate Speaker of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbayeva has held a meeting with President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian in Nur-Sultan, Dariga Nazarbayeva thanked the Armenian President for his constant support of the Eurasian Media Forum.

The President of Armenia continued by telling the Kazakh Senate Speaker about the domestic situation in the country, stressing that the people of Armenia are wise enough to overcome the existing problems and enter the new stage of development.

The parties discussed promising areas of cooperation. Armenian President noted that Yerevan is ready to share experience in the development of artificial intelligence, IT-technologies, ensuring food safety. Speaker invited the Armenian foreign diaspora to invest in Kazakhstan, using the advantages of trade with the third neighboring countries – China, Russia and others.

The main advantages of the Eurasian Media Forum as a discussion platform, which brings together leading world politicians, economists, political scientists and, critically, the media to discuss the most pressing issues on the international agenda.

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has been one of the co-founders of the Eurasian Media Forum.

According to organizers, this year’s forum will have a diverse agenda. Experts are set to discuss the media market developments and changes in the geopolitical field, as well as social and environmental aspects. In addition to panel and discussion sessions, a series of intensive training for journalists conducted by foreign colleagues will be held. Australian expert Ivo Burum will share the latest trends in reporting practices. The media forum’s organizers are also working on an introductory tour for the foreign guests aimed to demonstrate the Kazakh culture and traditions.

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Politics

Statement in relation to the international conference to end sexual violence in humanitarian crises​

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Statement by Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Jan Egeland ahead of the international conference: “Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Crises” which takes place in Oslo, Norway, 23-24 May:

“Sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence against women and children are horrific symptoms of conflict that should never be accepted or normalised whenever a humanitarian crisis strikes a community.

“In too many conflicts, sexual violence is being used as a barbaric weapon and victims of these crimes continue to suffer in silence. We can no longer sit back while mothers around the world are forced to endure violence, are left to tolerate the vile abuse of their children and are forced to live among the men doing them harm. We must do better to ensure vulnerable women and communities are shielded from such brutality and that those who commit these heinous crimes are held accountable.

“We urge politicians, government representatives, UN agencies, civil society organisations and all those involved in a humanitarian response to take definitive action towards ending extreme violence against women, girls and boys in every crisis. Physical violence, trafficking, rape and all other forms of violence should never be seen as an inevitable consequence of a crisis. If we cannot all do better, we cannot call ourselves real humanitarians, as we offer aid with one hand and allow horrendous violence to take place with the other.”

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Norwegian Aid

Reform of aid management

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Government has now chosen the model that will be used for reforming Norway’s aid management structure. Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) will be given responsibility for much of Norway’s aid management, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have specific responsibility for policy development, determining the main focus areas for Norway’s aid, and representing Norway in important international arenas.

‘This decision means that we will be able to make more effective use of our combined capacity in the area of international development. By strengthening and consolidating development policy expertise in the Ministry, we will be able to take a more strategic approach to development issues. At the same time, we will strengthen aid management expertise in Norad,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

The aid funds that are currently the constitutional responsibility of the Foreign Minister, for example humanitarian aid and allocations to human rights efforts, will continue to be managed by the Ministry.

The reform is in line with the Government’s political platform, which states that the Government will ‘reform the administration of development policy with the aim of bringing together, maintaining and strengthening international development expertise in Norway, avoiding duplication of efforts, and ensuring that Norway’s diplomatic and consular missions also have a high level of expertise in this area.’

‘Development cooperation is changing, and the aid budget has increased substantially over the years. If we are to reach the SDGs and ensure that Norwegian aid reaches the poorest and most vulnerable groups, we need to make sure that we have the necessary expertise and that aid funds are managed effectively. The model we have chosen will enable us to take a more coherent approach and improve the follow-up of Norwegian aid funds,’ said Minister of International Development Dag-Inge Ulstein. 

The new structure will create a clearer division of responsibility between the Ministry and Norad. The Ministry will have responsibility for deciding the strategic focus of Norway’s aid, and for drawing up policy documents such as action plans. The Ministry will also represent Norway in various international arenas, and in governing bodies of international organisations. The responsibility for evaluations, and for quality assurance, project implementation, follow-up, control and reporting will, as a rule, be delegated to Norad.

Phase two of the reform process will now begin. During this phase, the division of responsibility and tasks will be considered in detail, and an implementation plan will be drawn up. This work is to be completed in September 2019. The aim is that Norway’s reformed aid management structure will be in place on 1 January 2020.

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Economics

Robust growth in the Norwegian economy

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Norwegian economy is performing well. Employment growth is high and unemployment has declined across the country. Non-oil business investment is at a 10-year high. The positive developments are expected to continue. In the Revised national budget the Government continues an economic policy that  facilitates structural adjustment, innovation and growth in the Norwegian economy.

“Unemployment has come down across the country, and an increasing share of the population is in work. I am pleased to see that four out of five new jobs have been created in the private sector. This improves the sustainability of our welfare state,” says Finance Minister Siv Jensen.

Growth in the Norwegian economy is robust. In the Revised budget for 2019 GDP for Mainland Norway is projected to increase by 2.7 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent next year, which is higher than the long-term trend estimate of around 2 per cent, see table 1.

Given the robust growth in the Norwegian economy, the government has held back public expenditure in recent years. “The fiscal policy stance has facilitated growth in the economy and new jobs in the private sector,” says Finance Minister Siv Jensen.

In the 2019 budget, the Government continued its emphasis on transport, research and education, and growth-enhancing tax reductions, within responsible limits. These policies will allow the positive developments in the Norwegian economy to continue.

The revision of the budget includes increased expenses for defence related to the sinking of the frigate KMN Helge Ingstad, additional funds to the police as well as the Norwegian Police Security Service in order to prevent and combat crime, and increased spending on measures to reduce the effects of climate change.

The budgetary impulse for 2019, which in the autumn of last year was estimated at close to zero, is now estimated at 0.5 per cent of non-oil GDP. The upward revision is primarily due to expenditure being lower than expected in the previous year, and consequently a substantial negative revision of the impulse for 2018.

“If we consider 2018 and 2019 as a whole, the fiscal policy stance is broadly neutral,” says Finance Minister Siv Jensen.

The main features of the Government’s fiscal policy in 2019 are:

  • Petroleum revenue spending, as measured by the structural non-oil deficit, is estimated at NOK 238.1 billion, equivalent to 7.7 per cent of GDP for mainland Norway. The fiscal impulse, as measured by the change in the structural non-oil deficit as a percentage share of mainland GDP, is 0.5 percentage points.
  • The non-oil deficit is projected at NOK 229.2 billion. This deficit is fully financed through a transfer from the Government Pension Fund Global.
  • Net cash flow to the Fund from petroleum activities is estimated at NOK 263 billion. 
  • Petroleum revenues spending in 2019 corresponds to 2.9 per cent of the estimated capital in the Government Pension Fund Global at the end of 2018. This is below the expected real return of the Fund, estimated at 3 per cent, but higher than the 2.7 per cent that was projected in the autumn of last year. The increase is partly due to the unexpectedly low value of the Fund at year-end.
  • The real, underlying growth in fiscal budget expenditure from 2018 to 2019 is estimated at 2.0 per cent, below projected real GDP growth in the mainland economy. In nominal terms, expenditure is projected to grow by 4.9 per cent.
  • The consolidated surplus of the Fiscal Budget and the Government Pension Fund, including NOK 229.4 billion in interest and dividends, is estimated at NOK 263.0 billion. 
  • The general government financial balance is estimated at NOK 276.0 billion, equivalent to 7.6 per cent of GDP.
  • The market value of the Government Pension Fund Global was NOK 8 243 billion at the end of 2018, and is estimated at NOK 9 300 billion at the end of 2019.

Read more: The Norwegian Fiscal Policy Framework

Key figures for the Norwegian economy. Percentage volume change from previous year

1) Preliminary national accounts in current prices.
2) Excluding inventory changes.
3) Technically calculated using forward prices in April.
4) Positive number indicates a depreciation of the krone.

Sources: Statistics Norway, ICE, Macrobond, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Reuters and Ministry of Finance.

Key figures for the Fiscal Budget and Government Pension Fund. NOK billion

Source: Ministry of Finance.

General government financial balance. NOK million

1) Includes central government accrued but not recorded taxes. Direct investments in state enterprises including government petroleum activities. is defined as financial investments in the national accounts.

Sources: Statistics Norway and Ministry of Finance.

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Economics

Norway to improve payment processing rules

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The government from Norway wants to tighten restrictions on unlicensed gambling operators in the country and change processing rules.

Norway.- Norway is set to change its regulatory scheme in order to improve payment transactions. The Norway government unveiled new measures to change processing rules and to prevent gambling operators from offering unauthorised gambling services.

The Norwegian government clarified that there is currently an existing ban on payments from and to unlicensed operators. These new amendments establish a ban to unlicensed operators and companies in charge of payments on behalf of them.

The amendments also establish that the Norwegian Gaming Authority (Lottstift) will be in charge of rejecting payment transactions related to specific account numbers. It will also be in charge of making decisions in regards to an operator or other payment intermediaries.

Trine Skei Grande, Minister of Culture and Gender Equality, said that the purpose of the processing rules changes in Norway is to streamline an existing ban on the payment of money games without Norwegian permission.

“Banks have stated that they want it to be clearer what the authorities expect from their side to follow up the payment intermediation ban. We have therefore specified which specific obligations the banks have to comply with the prohibition,” said Grande.

“The changes will help make it less attractive to play on foreign gaming sites without Norwegian permission. The unregulated players offer games with a higher risk of gambling addiction. They’re not subject to the same accountability measures as the gaming offer of Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.

“Efficiency enhancement of the payment intermediation ban will help strengthen the exclusive right model and thus protect vulnerable players.”

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Middle East and Norway

King of Norway receives credentials of Qatari Envoy

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

H M King Harald V of Norway received yesterday at the Royal Palace in Oslo, the credentials of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al Thani as Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Norway.

The Ambassador conveyed Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s greetings and wishes of good health and happiness to H M King of Norway and his wishes of more progress and prosperity to the government and people of Norway.

For his part, H M King Harald V entrusted the Ambassador to convey his greetings to H H the Amir, and his wishes of more prosperity and progress to the people of Qatar. He wished the Ambassador success in her new duties and in promoting and strengthening relations of friendship and cooperation between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Norway.

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Economics

Banks refuse to loan Norway’s Baltic Sea Properties for projects in Lithuanian regions

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian-owned real estate company Baltic Sea Properties (BSP) says local banks have turned down its request for funding for construction projects outside Vilnius and Kaunas thrice in the past six months, the business daily Verslo Zinios reported on Thursday.   

A member of the company’s management board warns that the situation is getting dramatic, it wrote.  

In the past half-year, BSP has secured orders from three international businesses for real estate development projects in Alytus, Marijampole and Panevezys. 

John Afseth, the management board member, did not give the exact figures, but said each project could be worth between 5 million and 10 million euros. 

The company has applied for funding from almost all banks operating in Lithuania, but they refused to lend money because the planned projects are not located in Vilnius or Kaunas. 

None of the projects has been cancelled yet. BSP plans to use its own resources to carry out one of the projects, with the other two being put off for now. The company says, however, it is incapable of financing all of the projects on its own.  

The value of commercial premises owned by Baltic Sea Properties totaled around 104 million euros in late 2018. The company’s real estate lease revenue came in at 7.67 million euros last year.

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Royal House

Norway’s Princess Martha Louise debuts relationship with American shaman on Instagram

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s Princess Martha Louise has debuted her new relationship through the very modern medium of Instagram.

The 47-year-old royal has been single for the last three years since divorcing husband Ari Mikael Behn in 2016, but made a formal announcement of her love with American shaman Durek Verrett. Due to the fact that her brother Crown Prince Haakon is next in line to the Norwegian throne, she, like other European royals, has more options when it comes to where she lives.

She and her ex-husband divided their time between Norway and London and now she has set her ambitions further afield to the US, in the same vein as Sweden’s Princess Madeleine, who moved to Florida with her family last year and Britain’s Princess Beatrice, who lives in New York.

Martha Louise organised a photoshoot with Mr Verrett, who describes himself as a “spirit hacker” and counts Gwyneth Paltrow among his celebrity fans, to announce the relationship. It was set up specifically for the Norwegian press and she released the images via her Instagram with a gushing statement about their burgeoning romance.

“When you meet your twin flame, you know. I have been lucky enough to have met mine,” she captioned the pictures. “@shamandurek has changed my life, like he does with so many. He has made me realize that unconditional love actually exists here on this planet. He embraces all of me without question or fear. 

“He makes me laugh more than anyone, has the most profound wisdom to share and all the bits in between from the diversity of his being.”

She continued: “I feel so happy and blessed that he is my boyfriend. Thank you my love, for including me so generously into your family. I love you from this eternity to the next.”

Martha Louise anticipated criticism and urged naysayers to consider their words, explaining that they are head over heels in love and that’s all that matters.

“It is not up to you to choose for me or to judge me,” she wrote. “I don’t choose my man to satisfy any of you or the norms or boxes you have chosen in your mind for me to be in. I don’t thrive there, nor do I exist in your illusion about me. I choose from love. And that’s it.”

“Shaman Durek is merely a man I love spending my time with and who fulfills me. So thank you for respecting my actions and my choice of partner. All I know at this moment is that we love each other and I am super happy.”

Durek went on his to praise his girlfriend on his own Instagram account, writing, “A strong woman who lets me be me without judgement or confinement.”

Martha Louise has three children from her marriage, the first to end in divorce in modern Norwegian royal history. She has been keeping a determinedly low profile in recent years, focusing on her family and forging a new path for herself balancing her royal obligations and personal passions. 

At the time of the divorce, she and Ari released a statement their marriage had been over for years but they endured in order to parent their daughters Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora and Emma Tallulah.

“We have tried everything for a long time and we still cannot be where we were before, making it impossible for us to continue,” the statement read. “We feel guilty because we are no longer able to create the safe harbour that our children deserve. But we hope and believe that we will manage to hold on to friendship through what lies ahead.”

(independent.ie)

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Environment

Norway is taking over the chairmanship of Arctic Contaminant Action Programme (ACAP)

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway is taking over the chairmanship of Arctic Contaminant Action Programme (ACAP) from May 7, 2019.

ACAP is a working group under the Arctic Council with a focus on how to reduce Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), mercury, other chemical threats, waste and short-lived climate polluters to the Arctic and give a voice to indigenous and local people on these matters. Pilot projects are initiated and implemented by financing mainly under the Projects Support Instrument (PSI), where Arctic states contribute voluntarily. All Arctic states are participating in the work and observers are allowed to participate at ACAP meetings.

Toxic substances are threats to human health and ecosystems in the Arctic and are accumulated through the food-chain. Such substances are carried by wind, precipitation and ocean currents to the Artic. It is important to observe and measure deposits in the Arctic through monitoring programs. Recent research shows that deposits of chemicals in the Arctic, that are regulated in international conventions are generally decreasing, while other new chemicals that are not regulated are increasing. There are a large number of different chemical components and the number of new ones are increasing. Some of the most toxic ones have been prohibited. Recent screeing of chemical data bases in Europe and North-America has identified up to about 1200 substances with the potential to reach the Arctic and accumulate in the food chain. This was underlined in AMAP’s assessment report “Chemicals of Emerging Concern” from 2017. The work of EU and Nordic countries in co-operation with business and industries to find more environmental substitutes and making production more sustainable is a step in the right direction. The same goes for the work on eco-design and circular economy internationally to keep toxic substances out of the value chain.

The IPCC special report (2018) on global warming of 1,5 degrees shows how urgent it is to curb climate change. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. New local records are broken every year. Unabated climate change would change the Arctic beyond recognition. Local emissions of soot particles and other short-lived climate polluters from petroleum activity, shipping and industries are contributing actively to warming and rapid melting in the Arctic. ACAP aims to create awareness of such effects through pilot projects and effects on environment and health of local people. The idea is that experiences of successful pilot projects may be scaled up by national authorities through sharing of experiences and best practices.

Some important pilot projects of ACAP:

A new pilot project on Mercury and the related risks is being started up this year. The aim is to develop an action plan to reduce emissions in some Arctic countries. This will contribute to strengthening efforts of Artic states to follow up on the Minamata Convention ratified in 2017. Norway will take a lead on this project. The project has been developed by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research has been approved by ACAP and received PSI financing for a first phase. Norway will contribute with NOK 100 000 in national co-funding to this first project to tackle mercury pollution, supplementing funding from the Project Support Instrument of the Arctic Council.

A Climate Local Environmental  (CLEO) network has been established among the Arctic States and will this year be expanded in Nordic countries.  More than 1000 observers and 600 municipalities are engaged in the network of people that are reporting on climate change effects at local level in the Arctic. Young people, students and local people are engaged and reporting is done by an App. Support Centers or professional hubs are being established at national level in US, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment will therefore provide NOK 260 000 to establish a professional hub in Norway to support improve quality and reliability of reporting on the CLEO project. Observations can contribute to valuable input for adaptation measures.

Research indicates that 40% of the black carbon in the Arctic comes from flaring and this is contributing to rapid warming in the Arctic. Flaring of associated gas is a huge waste of resources, which could instead be used for energy production or to increase production efficiency. While Arctic states should be in the forefront of efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and black carbon, the climate challenges must be solved through global efforts. Flaring is one area where ACAP will continue to have a strong focus through pilot projects. A major project is ongoing to reduce methane emissions from flaring in the petroleum industry, by capture and reuse methane gas and reduce flaring . In Norway, flaring has been prohibited for many years. The Arctic states share best practices and knowledge. ACAP supports efforts to reduce black carbon from flaring in co-operation with Russian petroleum companies, partly financed by PSI. In Russia 80% of the black carbon emissions stems from flaring. This project will provide advice for future investments in the sector that could avoid emissions of black carbon and methane. The goal is to capture and sell the methane gas. It is a win-win solution, contribution with less emission, less cost for private sector and with an aim to contribute to slow down the rapid warming  in the Arctic. A first phase of the project has been implemented. Other pilot projects have been carried out in the transportation sector, mining sector and a new project is coming up in the shipping sector.

Sami communities at the Kola Peninsula in Murmansk Oblast, Sami Council and local authorities work together to reduce hazardous waste and other waste that cause damage to human beings and ecosystems. A project to clean up and develop management systems was started up last summer and this project will continue into a next phase with a plan to follow-up. ACAP approved the project and the first mapping phase was financed by Norway and Sweden last summer. Financial support for clean-up measures and to develop a management system to avoid similar pollution in the future in the Sami area at Kola together with Russian authorities, is under consideration.

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Norwegian Aid

UNDP, Norway sign $747,306 agreement

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Norwegian government yesterday signed an agreement in Dhaka, aimed at fostering peace and harmony in Rohingya camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

Sidsel Bleken, Norwegian ambassador to Bangladesh, and Sudipto Mukerjee, resident representative, UNDP Bangladesh signed the agreement worth USD 747,306 at the UNDP office for 2019-2021 period.

Under the agreement, UNDP will conduct a research to understand drivers of social tensions in Rohingya camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar affected by the Rohingya influx since August 2017.

Some 7,50,000 Rohingyas fled military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state since August 2017 and joined 3,00,000 others, who had fled to Cox’s Bazar during earlier waves of violence. In Rakhine, they have been denied citizenship and faced discriminatory policies by the Myanmar government since 1982. 

According to reports received from Cox’s Bazar, host communities who had welcomed the Rohingyas in 2017 are now expressing dissatisfaction about the refugees’ presence because of the pressures they have been feeling socially, economically and environmentally.

According to the UNDP statement, the research findings will better inform and support UN programme on early warning of any conflict and prevention, as well as partnership with Bangladesh.

Sudipto Mukerjee said this initiative will strengthen development work in Cox’s Bazar and help promote peace and tolerance in the camps and host communities.

Sidsel Bleken said Norway continues its support for implementation and monitoring of SDG 16: peace, justice and strong institutions around the world, and has been working to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

“The agreement hopefully will pave the way for a peaceful and inclusive society in Cox’s Bazar,” she said.

The agreement is a part of UNDP’s broader “Partnerships for a Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh” project, which promotes diverse and constructive narratives already present in the country in support of tolerance.

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Economics

Norway’s aluminium cans import cost likely to rise in 2019, but import volume to drop

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s aluminium cans import is estimated to stand down this year to 9,374 tonnes, according to our third-party data. In 2018, the estimated import amount was at 9,539 tonnes, after growing from 9,502 tonnes in 2017. But the amount of import in 2017 was down from 2016, as the import volume in the latter year was at 9,734 tonnes.

But despite the fall in Norway’s estimated amount of aluminium cans import in 2019, the country is likely to see a growth in aluminium cans import cost. This year the cost is likely to grow from US$60 million in 2018 to US$ 61 million. In 2018, on the other hand, the import cost had stood down from US$64 million in the previous year, despite a rise in import volume. A similar trend was seen in 2017 as well when the import cost had risen from US$56 million in 2016 to US$64 million, in spite of a fall in import volume.

However, although Norway’s aluminium cans import is likely to see a plunge this year, the global demand for aluminium beverage cans is otherwise expected to continue to grow between 3.7 per cent and 4 per cent over the next five years, largely driven by increased consumption in emerging markets, most of which will take place in China, and the rest of Asia, Europe and South America.

In the European Union, in particular, the beverage can market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% between 2017 and 2025, owing to increased recycling activities undertaken by the European Commission, as well as the national governments of France, Germany and the U.K., according to Grand View Research, Inc. 

Norway in 2019 is expected to import the maximum amount of aluminium cans from Sweden, totalling at 5,488 tonnes. Denmark is estimated to rank second to supply aluminium cans to Norway amounting 1,259 tonnes, followed by Poland 1,115 tonnes.

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Peace Talks

Venezuela government, opposition representatives travel to Norway for possible talks

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Representatives of Venezuela’s government and the opposition have traveled to Norway to discuss potential options following a failed coup against President Nicolas Maduro, according to four opposition sources familiar with the situation.

The trip suggests the two sides may be seeking a fresh approach after the repeated failure of dialogue between the opposition and the ruling Socialist Party amid a steadily escalating political crisis.

In earlier talks this year, the country’s top government officials will create a transition government that will not include Maduro, according to U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Those efforts fell apart after opposition calls for Venezuela’s military to rise against Maduro on April 30 failed, according to the opposition sources.

The military has remained loyalty to Maduro, who describes the April 30 events as a coup plot. Sources said Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez and Miranda state Governor Hector Rodriguez of the Socialist Party both traveled to Oslo. Opposition legislator Stalin Gonzalez, along with political advisers Gerardo Blyde and Fernando Martinez have also gone to Norway.

Norway’s foreign minister said as early as March that it was prepared to act as a mediator or facilitator of talks between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.

No meetings have yet been held, and the parties will meet separately with Norwegian diplomats, one of the sources said.

Maduro, in a speech broadcast on state television on Wednesday evening, said Jorge Rodriguez was “completing a very important mission abroad,” without giving more details.

Source(s): Reuters

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Diplomatic relations

Cuba and Norway Ratify Interest in Developing Cooperation

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway and Cuba ratified this Wednesday their interest in continuing to develop cooperation projects for mutual benefit and also with other Caribbean countries.

This was reported by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Marcelino Medina, after meeting the Secretary of State of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jens Frolich Holte.

This visit is an expression of the reciprocal will to continue expanding the positive bilateral relations established 110 years ago, he wrote on Twitter.

He also commented on a friendly meeting with Foreign Affairs incumbent Ine Eriksen Soreide at the portfolio headquarters.

As part of a Nordic tour, Medina previously visited Finland, where she thanked the government for its support in the fight against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on the island almost six decades ago.

The tour, which will last until the 20th through the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as the Republic of Lithuania, is an expression of the reciprocal interest of Cuba and Europe in continuing to deepen bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation, he said.

Medina will be received by personalities from the respective governments, with whom he will exchange on topics of common interest and the international scene, according to a note from the Cuban Foreign Ministry.

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Africa and Norway

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) statement to the UN Security Council on Cameroon

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Statement to the Security Council Arria-Formula meeting on his visit to assess the humanitarian situation in Cameroon, and recommendations on the way forward

SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL, JAN EGELAND

Mr. President, UN Security Council members,

I wish to thank the Security Council for this opportunity to speak about the massive human suffering I witnessed when I visited Cameroon three weeks ago.

I traveled to both the South-West province of Cameroon and the Far North. In the former, I met with communities fleeing armed conflict. In the latter, I spoke with refugees and internally displaced families fleeing Boko Haram violence.

Cameroon has been a generous host to refugees, including from the Central African Republic and Nigeria. We appreciate the cooperation of the authorities in providing sanctuary to people in great need.

Mr. President,

When brutal fighting displaces hundreds of thousands of civilians, it usually sets international alarm bells ringing. But, the shocking unmet needs of tens of thousands of people fleeing violence in South-West and North-West Cameroon has resulted in no systematic mediation efforts, no large relief programme, little media interest and too little pressure on the parties to stop attacking civilians.

The collective silence surrounding the atrocities is as shocking as the untold stories are heart-breaking. That is why this session is so important.

A group of displaced and disillusioned women I met told me that they felt abandoned by the international community, as well as by the conflict parties.

They asked me, where is international solidarity? Where are the African organisations, the donor nations? Where is Europe? This conflict has roots in generations of interference from European powers.

When I visited the provincial capital Buea, I met with families from the hundreds of villages that have been burned. They affirmed that tens of thousands of people are still hiding in the bushes, and that new attacks are taking place every week.

Children have been denied their right to education for years because of the political conflicts between grown adults. Most schools have been closed, and the Ministry of Education affirms that at least 780,000 children are out of school. We risk losing a generation to illiteracy.

I was also shocked by the scale and brutality of the crisis. Even hospitals have been attacked, and health workers fear for their lives.

The absence of a humanitarian response commensurate to the hundreds of thousands of people in great and unmet need is striking. We are too few humanitarian actors on the ground, and we are gravely underfunded.

The absence of a humanitarian response commensurate to the hundreds of thousands of people in great and unmet need is striking

My colleagues in the Norwegian Refugee Council and other relief organisations in Cameroon tell me they can reach people in need in the South-West and North-West despite the insecurity.

Parties to the conflict said they are ready to support access to all areas of great need. This includes the South-West Governor who I spoke with in Buea, and armed opposition groups with whom we are in contact. Our immediate priority is access and assistance to people hiding in the bushes, who as of today receive no assistance or protection. They fear they cannot return to their torched villages, nor do they feel that it is safe for them to go to the urban centres.

These families are terrorized beyond belief.

Similarly in the Far North, civilians feel abandoned. The humanitarian response is severely underfunded and underreported. The displaced children I met in the capital town, Maroua, and surrounding areas, had hoped one day to return to their ancestral lands from where they fled Boko Haram violence. But insecurity still plagues these areas.

The only thing that has changed for these communities is that their suffering and the violence raged against them has disappeared from our TV screens, hearts and minds.

In my 40 years as a humanitarian worker, I have too often seen how the lack of early intervention results in smaller conflicts becoming horrific and endless wars. There is still time to avoid the conflict in the South-West and North-West from escalating further, with untold suffering as a consequence. Equally, there is time to give hope and durable solutions to displaced families in the Far North, and to the Central African refugees that Cameroon hosts.

Mr. President, UN Security Council members,

Our conclusions are the following:

  1. The UN, the Secretariat, this Security Council, and all the agencies and programmes of this great family of organisations, need to do better in what we have all pledged; act to ensure conflict prevention, conflict resolution and bridge building before it is too late.

The crisis in the English-speaking part of Cameroon is one of the world’s most neglected. The lack of information and international political attention has allowed the situation to deteriorate from peaceful demonstrations to the atrocities committed by both sides. We need more independent information and reporting from the crisis. And more than anything we need to protect and assist defenseless civilians.

  1. We urgently need national and international conflict resolution resources to help stop the violence and start UN talks about the many grievances that exist. Mediation or facilitation of peace talks should be done by local, national or international actors that have the trust of both the government and non-state armed groups.
  2. Organisations and countries with influence over the conflict parties must make it clear that the attacks on civilians, on their homes and villages, and their schools and their hospitals, are crimes under international law that cannot be allowed to continue.

The deep and acute protection crisis might also be alleviated by a greater presence by international organisations. The UN Country Team should be given the financial and human resources needed to put protection at the centre of its response.

  1. A first step to break the vicious cycle could be a concerted international effort to reopen and provide protection for schools and schoolchildren. Today, the political and strategic conflict among politicians and armed men has paralyzed education for young people. It must be possible to de-politize education. The grown adults must at agree on finding a way for children to return to school, as the mothers I met pleaded for.

To do this, both parties must show willingness to make compromises on the issues that so early became contentious in this conflict. UN and humanitarian partners also need to strengthen their efforts to pave the way for an effective education response.

  1. We need to ramp up the humanitarian response. As the Emergency Relief Coordinator noted, many of the 1.3 million people who need humanitarian support have received no assistance. A massive funding injection is needed to save lives.

We need to extend the scope of the humanitarian response beyond city centres and into rural areas in South-West and North-West region. The total funding for Cameroon must be increased; money cannot just be shifted from other regions towards the crisis in the South-West and North-West.

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Diplomatic relations

Norway – a close partner with the EU

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s cooperation with the EU is based on this vision: a Europe that is secure, free, and economically strong, and where the individual countries take joint responsibility for addressing shared challenges.

Norwegian foreign policy starts in Europe. European countries are Norway’s close allies, and the EU is our most important trading partner. There is a considerable degree of economic interdependence between Norway and the EU, for example in key sectors such as energy and seafood. We have similar views on a range of issues in international politics, including free trade and multilateralism, and we agree on the need for binding international cooperation on climate change. Consultations and operative cooperation with the EU on foreign and security policy is therefore extensive. The rights and obligations inherent in our Schengen membership also bring us closer together. All in all, our shared European interests and values form the basis for Norway’s cooperation with EU institutions and member states.

Norway’s partnership with the EU is also important in our efforts to restructure our own economy, fulfilling Norway’s climate commitments, promoting an inclusive labour market, ensuring that welfare schemes are effective, reducing poverty and marginalisation, and significantly stepping up efforts to promote integration. All of these areas have a European dimension.

The EEA Agreement occupies a unique position among the various agreements Norway has concluded with the EU, and is the cornerstone in our relations. It helps to ensure economic security and predictability. It is vital for the Norwegian business sector, for jobs, and for our ability to maintain a sustainable welfare society. Without labour from other EEA countries, many Norwegian businesses would come to a standstill. Without access to the internal market and a level playing field in the EEA, the Norwegian export industry would suffer.

Under the EEA Agreement, Norwegian citizens have opportunities that were unthinkable in the past. Many Norwegians make use of their rights under the Agreement to cross borders, live, work, invest, and study in other EEA countries.

The EEA and Norway Grants are the main financial instrument of Norway’s European policy. Through the grants scheme Norway contributes to social and economic cohesion, thereby helping to realise our vision of a secure, free, economically strong and responsible Europe.

We enjoy excellent cooperation with the Romanian EU Presidency, keeping a close dialogue on political level and taking part in the EU informal ministerial meetings relevant to our close partnership. Partly financed through the EEA and Norway Grants, we are also joining efforts with the Romanian presidency on these issues and events:

A conference in Bucharest to support the engagement and development of civil society

A conference in Bucharest on the Istanbul Convention perspectives: Towards a Europe free from violence against women and girls

A conference in Sinaia on radicalization and on overcrowding in prisons.

A seminar in Bucharest on countering plastic waste pollution in Europe

A conference in Brussels on Work related crime and how to counter severe labour exploitation

A conference in Bucharest to look for new opportunities to support youth employment in the Western Balkans

A conference in Bucharest on renewable energy technologies and Carbon Capture and Storage

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Media Freedom

Norway celebrates the Constitution Day

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The National Day of the Kingdom of Norway is celebrated on May 17, commemorating the birth of our Constitution in 1814. It states the fundamental principles and values – equality, tolerance and human rights – upon which the Norwegian society is built. It is the second oldest constitution in the world still in continuous force.

On May 17, the whole country is draped in the colors of our flag: red, white and blue, and many wear their national costume, “bunad”. A noteworthy aspect of Norway’s national day is that the parades are made up of school children behind a local brass band. All over Norway, in towns and villages, children parade with an abundance of flags. This tradition is more than 140-years old and was initiated by writer Henrik Wergeland and Nobel Prize laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. The latter also wrote the lyrics of our national anthem. The longest parade is in Oslo and passes by the Royal Palace, where the Royal Family greets the people from the main balcony.

The Constitution Day is a festive day for everyone, but perhaps most of all for the youth and children. Reflecting principles such as a strong civil participation, cultural diversity and social inclusion, the day is an important reminder of the true privilege of living in a free country.

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Norwegian Aid

More people displaced inside their own countries than ever before

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A record 41.3 million people are displaced inside their own countries because of conflict and violence, according to a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).  

The number of people living in internal displacement worldwide as of the end of 2018 is the highest it has ever been, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement, launched today at the United Nations in Geneva. This is an increase of more than a million since the end of 2017 and two-thirds more than the global number of refugees.

The record figure is the result of years of cyclical and protracted displacement, and high levels of new displacement between January and December 2018. IDMC recorded 28 million new internal displacements associated with conflict, generalised violence and disasters in 2018.  

Ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria, and a rise in intercommunal tensions in Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria’s Middle Belt region triggered most of the 10.8 million new displacements linked to conflict and violence. Internally displaced people (IDPs) who tried to return to their homes in Iraq, Nigeria and Syria during the year found their property destroyed, infrastructure damaged and basic services non-existent. 

“This year’s report is a sad reminder of the recurrence of displacement, and of the severity and urgency of IDPs’ needs. Many of the same factors that drove people from their homes now prevent them from returning or finding solutions in the places they have settled,” said Alexandra Bilak, IDMC’s director.

Extreme weather events were responsible for the majority of the 17.2 million new displacements associated with disasters in 2018. Tropical cyclones and monsoon floods led to mass displacement in the Philippines, China and India, mostly in the form of evacuations. California suffered the most destructive wildfires in its history, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people.  

A number of countries were affected by both conflict and disasters. Drought in Afghanistan triggered more displacement than the country’s armed conflict, and the crisis in north-eastern Nigeria was aggravated by flooding that affected 80 per cent of the country.

“The findings of this report are a wake-up call to world leaders. Millions of people forced to flee their homes last year are being failed by ineffective national governance and insufficient international diplomacy. Because they haven’t crossed a border, they receive pitiful global attention,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. “All displaced people have a right to protection and the international community has a duty to ensure it.”

The report shows that internal displacement is an increasingly urban phenomenon. Warfare in cities such as Dara’a in Syria, Hodeidah in Yemen and Tripoli in Libya accounted for much of the displacement recorded in the Middle East in 2018. Urban centres such as Dhaka in Bangladesh are also the preferred destination for many people fleeing the effects of climate change.

Such influxes present great challenges for cities and can aggravate existing risk factors. People who fled fighting in rural areas of Afghanistan and Somalia faced abject poverty, tenure insecurity and onward displacement from flooding and evictions in Kabul and Mogadishu.

New ways of dealing with the issue are emerging in cities from Medellín in Colombia to Mosul in Iraq, where local governments and communities have taken the lead.

“The fact that cities have become sanctuary to more and more internally displaced people represents a challenge for municipal authorities, but also an opportunity. Leveraging the positive role that local government can play in finding solutions to displacement will be key to addressing this challenge in the future,” said Alexandra Bilak.

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Terrorist

Norway’s police fear foreign fighters could plot attacks from abroad

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Around 40 Norwegian children were born or taken to live inside ISIS’ so-called ‘Caliphate’ in Syria and Iraq, security services said.

Roughly 30 Norwegian men and women remain in Syria, another 30 have died and 40 have escaped according to officials. Only a handful of these have returned to Norway, Martin Bernsen, senior advisor to the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), told Dagbladet. The fate of the 40 children, almost all who were born in ISIS territory, is unclear Mr Bernsen added.

Norway has largely avoided the devastating attacks on Europe, such as the Charlie Hebdo 2015 killings. AP.

Very few of the 30 still active “foreign warriors” in the Levant region are expected to make it back to Norway. However, of those that are alive, some remain in contact with family members in Norway via social media. The primary threat from the 30 “lies in the opportunity they have to encourage” sympathisers to carry out attacks in Norway, a report released by the PST on Monday said.

It added, the “most serious terrorist threat in 2019 will still come from extreme Islamist groups”.

Security officials expect any terrorist incident is likely to be carried out by only one or two people using a vehicle, firearm or explosive device – as has been the trend across Europe. 

Most who travelled to Syria or Iraq did so in 2013 and were described as a mixture of Norwegian converts and “multi-ethnic” people. The last time officials believe a Norwegian tried to join ISIS was in autumn 2017 as the terror group’s territory dwindled.

The report warned, however, that extremist propaganda was still accessible, mainly through encrypted means, and would therefore continue to pose a lasting threat.

Western politicians are increasingly uneasy about the roughly 800 ISIS foreign fighters held in the Syrian jails of US-backed forces. The announcement by president Donald Trump of his intention to withdraw American forces from the county has led to fears foreign extremists could escape and plot attacks against their home countries.

Recent reports said that 130 French suspected ISIS members in Syria would be repatriated to face trial after the US development.

Perhaps Norway’s most famous ISIS recruits were the Norwegian-Somalian Juma sisters who left for Syria in 2013. Their father, Sadiq, would track them down in ISIS territory in a futile attempt to convince his daughters to return home with him.

Norway has been largely spared the fate of its European neighbours, many of whom have suffered from a devastating series of ISIS-inspired terror attacks. In January a Russian man was arrested after allegedly trying to stab a woman at an Oslo supermarket.

The man, who was later taken in by a psychiatric hospital, was accused of plotting an extremist attack based on his claim he wanted to kill a number of people.

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Killing

Norwegian woman dies from rabies

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A Norwegian woman died on Monday after contracting rabies from a stray puppy she found while on a holiday in the Philippines.

According to a BBC report, Birgitte Kallestad, 24, was bitten by the puppy after she took it back to her resort.

Kallestad fell ill shortly after returning to Norway and died at the hospital where she worked.

Her family urged the Norwegian government to make vaccination against rabies to its citizens traveling to the Philippines.

“Our dear Birgitte loved animals. Our fear is that this will happen to others who have a warm heart like her,” the family said in a statement.

“If we can achieve this, the death of our sunbeam can save others.”

The case was the first rabies-related death in Norway for more than 200 years, the BBC said.

Rabies is a deadly virus that could cause life-threatening infection to the brain if left untreated.

The Philippines earlier said it aims to be a rabies-free country by 2020.

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Middle East and Norway

Norway-registered tanker damaged off UAE coast

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The hull of a Norwegian-registered product tanker was damaged by an unknown object off the coast of the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah on Sunday, ship management company Thome Ship Management said on Monday.

“The master of MT Andrea Victory reported the crew were unharmed but there was a hole in the hull area of the aft peak tank. The ship is not in any danger of sinking,” Thome said in a statement.

The vessel is 47,210 deadweight tons, according to Refinitiv data.

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Media Freedom

Announcing the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award Recipients

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The 2019 Business for Peace Honourees who are delivering opportunities for women, minorities and diverse and disadvantaged groups.

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given to inspiring business leaders around the globe who have accomplished extraordinary things. The award honours ambassadors of businessworthy values, who are shaping society for the better.

The 2019 recipients are: Dr Agbor  Ashumanyi  Ako, co-founder of GiftedMom, Alice Laugher, the CEO of CTG (Committed  to Good) and Hamdi  Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of  Chobani.

These three leaders are at the helm of companies which have a broader view than just the bottom line and see business as a tool for change. As individuals, they look at the world around them and work to improve it.

“The 2019 Honourees have managed to create enterprises with a significant social impact, exemplifying outstanding business contributions to society. In a world of imbalance, they have taken the initiative to establish and grow businesses that offer opportunities to women, minorities, diverse and disadvantaged groups”, comments Business for Peace Founder, Per L. Saxegaard. “These three celebrated individuals have worked tirelessly to counteract inequalities, encouraging inclusion and democratising access to health, aid, and work. Through their businesses, they promote human rights, contribute to sustaining peace and help build environments in which human potential can flourish.”

Dr Agbor Ashumanyi  Ako
Agbor  Ashumanyi  Ako is one of the co-founders of  GiftedMom, a digital health platform based in Cameroon that gives pregnant women and mothers across Africa access to vital health information and care. As a digital-first platform, GiftedMom is able to expand faster than traditional health care systems and the start-up aims to reach 10 million women in the next 10 years. Started by Alain Nteff and Doctor Tankou Conrad in 2012, the platform now has over 170,000 users. The award-winning app has significantly improved both pregnancy check-up attendance and vaccination turnouts, with an ultimate goal to see a world free of preventable maternal and infant deaths.

Dr Agbor enthuses, “This recognition is a symbol to show that there is progress in the right direction for the company GiftedMom. It comes as a reminder of the mission ahead. Being nominated by experts from the United Nations Development Programme Business Call to Action community and selected by former Nobel Peace Prize laureates is an indication of how the work GiftedMom is doing provides a global solution to help solve today’s challenges.”

Alice Laugher
Alice Laugher is the CEO of CTG,  Committed  to Good, which provides employment and logistics services to development and relief programmes in fragile and conflict-affected countries. From running Ebola treatment clinics in Liberia, to food distribution in Afghanistan and South Sudan, monitoring and assisting refugees in Libya, and rebuilding government constitution in Somalia, the work of CTG is as diverse as our world’s issues.
British-born Laugher is a vocal  advocate for the Sustainable Development Agenda, with a particular focus on gender equality. She is passionate about CTG being a force for good and creating economic opportunities for women in war-torn regions through CTG’s initiative Female First, which pledges that 30% of project-related roles are represented by women by 2030. She explains: “At CTG, we’ve made empowering women through humanitarian employment in conflict-affected regions our focus. This award, this incredible recognition for our commitment, strengthens our determinations that we are moving in the right direction. I hope it will inspire business leaders, both women and men, to believe that their commitments to change and peace – no matter how small or large in scale – are the only way forward.”

Hamdi Ulukaya
Hamdi  Ulukaya  is the founder and CEO of  Chobani, the company behind the number one Greek yoghurt in America. Today,  Chobani  has over 2,000 employees in the United States, 30 percent of which are legally resettled immigrants and refugees.  Ulukaya has created a corporate culture in which everyone is welcome and has an opportunity to thrive with innovative profit-sharing and parental leave programmes.  Ulukaya  has also taken a leadership role in the global business community to encourage action from the private sector to tackle the global refugee crisis.
Turkish-born Ulukaya comments: “I’m very humbled by this honor, and I’m proud to accept it on behalf of the women and men of team Chobani. This new way of business–where companies focus on people and not just profits, try to make the world a little bit better–should be at the heart of every modern company. As CEOs we don’t need to have more, we need to do more. When we see an injustice, we need to speak out. When we have tools and resources to solve problems, we have to use them.”

About the Award

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given out annually to exemplary business leaders who apply their business energy ethically and responsibly, creating economic and societal value. Winners are selected by an independent committee of Nobel Prize winners in Peace and in Economics after a global nomination process through the International Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Global Compact, United Nations Development Programme, and Principles for Responsible Investment. The Award Committee consists of Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Finn Kydland (Norway), and Eric Maskin (USA). The committee evaluated the nominees on the criteria of being a role model to society and their peers, having earned trust by stakeholders, and standing out as an advocate.

The three winners will receive the Award in a ceremony at Oslo City Hall on 15 May 2019 as part of the annual Business for Peace Summit.

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Russia and Norway

Russian Spy Whale Still Hanging Around Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A beluga whale that some believe was trained as a Russian spy does not seem in a hurry to leave the waters off Norway.

Fishermen off the coast of Norway found the whale last week with a suspicious harness and a camera mount attached to it. The whale was tame and allowed humans to touch it. Days later, the whale is still hanging around, seemingly with no plans to head back to where it came from — which some suspect is a Russian facility where mammals are trained to eavesdrop.

A beluga whale seen as it swims next to a fishing boat before Norwegian fishermen removed the tight harness on April 26, 2019. The harness strap features a mount for an action camera, says “Equipment St. Petersburg” which has prompted speculation that the animal may have escaped from a Russian military facility. (Joergen Ree Wiig/Norwegian Direcorate of Fisheries Sea Surveillance Unit via AP)

“The whale was really friendly and came up to us and started opening its mouth, and just checking us out,” Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries official Jorgen Ree Wiig told NBC News. “We were trying to talk to it.”

Wiig added that it’s “really untypical” for a whale to seek attention from humans as this one is doing.

Some experts think the whale might be a trained Russian asset. One of the clues to that theory was “Equipment St Petersburg” emblazoned on the harness.

Wiig told NBC the whale might also be from a shuttered facility in Siberia that used to trap whales and then sell them.

(Newsmax)

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