BLADE

Progress Party vows cut in budget support

With the general election in Norway two weeks away the right wing Progress Party is hoping for increased electoral support by promising to close embassies in Africa and stopping budget support to Uganda and Tanzania.

At a press conference the party listed goals for the first 100 days of sitting in government – if elected.

* Stop all aid to Palestinian areas that directly or indirectly support education that furthers anti-Israel or anti-Semitic attitudes.

* Close off all support to “Madras-schools”, Hamas and organizations connected to “terrorism”.

* Stop budget support to Uganda and Tanzania.

* Start a review of the whole Norwegian aid portfolio.

* Close the Norwegian embassies on Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Nicaragua and Kampala.

* Expand the number of countries which do not have to pay import duties. Nigeria, Pakistan and Vietnam will get quota free access to Norwegian markets.

Few political observers think that the Progress Party (which at the moment in the second largest party in parliament) will get a clear majority, even in an alliance with the Conservative Party. Neither is development aid an issue that is important for their voters, but it has a symbolic value. A conservative government after 14 September will probably make some symbolic reductions and changes in Norwegian policy, but not on the scale the Progress Party hopes for.

Jan Speed

Norad launches English version of 2008 Results Report

'Development assistance-no shortcuts to good results' is the title of the 16-page document that summarizing Norwegian development assistance in 2008. According to the report, Norwegian development assistance achieves results, both positive and negative, via many different paths and channels. The report presents a description of Norway’s partners and their results in Mozambique, Nepal and South Sudan. 

Norwegian development policy to focus on climate, conflict and capital

 

(Photo credit: Amila de Saram Larssen)

 

Amila de Saram Larssen

 

White Paper (#13) on Norwegian development policy was presented by Minister of Development and the Environment, Erik Solheim, in Oslo today.  

The title of the paper loosely translates as, “Climate, conflict and capital: Norwegian development policy in a new environment.”

 

The document seeks to address the new challenges facing the world today such as climate change, conflict and capital. Minister Solheim underscored the fact that the White Paper was not about development aid, but rather about forces driving development in general.  The paper addresses the important role of private investment, remittances, economic crises, etc. in addition to development aid, in bringing about development.

The policy paper has been approved by the government and will be up for debate in parliament at a later date.

The document is not available in English for the moment. 

 

You can watch a webcast of the launch here.

Guyana offers a model for forest preservation for development

(Poul Engberg-Pedersen, Director, NORAD (left) greets President Jagdeo of Guyana (right))

Amila de Saram Larssen

President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana is currently in Norway promoting a national forest initiative to mitigate the ill effects of climate change.

President Jagdeo presented Guyana as a national-scale pilot and put forward a strong economic case for preserving the world’s forests. 

President Jagdeo sees the preservation of the world’s forests as an opportunity for low-carbon sustainable development for his country, and countries like his.  He intends to use money generated from a proposed carbon trading mechanism to finance hydro power initiatives, education, healthcare and income generating activities for the poor and in particular the indigenous, forest dwelling communities of Guyana.

Governments sign worldwide ban on cluster bombs in Oslo

Jan Speed and Amila de Saram Larssen

Click below to view a short video about The Ban Bus, a campaign bus that has traveled 10,000 km across Europe to raise awareness about the Convention on Cluster Munitions.  It arrived in Oslo yesterday.

Norad's Poverty Conference 2008: Have your say

If you attended Norad's annual Poverty Conference in Oslo Friday, October 17, 2008, please take a few minutes to complete the following survey. Your feedback is appreciated.

Click Here to take the survey

He Wenping offers a Chinese perspective on development

 

Amila de Saram Larssen

He Wenping (pictured above), Director of the Division of African Studies of the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, Beijing, presented a Chinese perspective on development in Africa at Norad´s annual poverty conference.  She provided a brief overview of the history of the aid relationship between China and Africa over the past 50 years as well as highlighted some of the differences between the Chinese and Western models of development cooperation. 

A Better World: International Week soon to kick off in Oslo

International Week takes place annually in Norway and serves as a platform for the dissemination of information on the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  This year, the event is hosted in the capital, Oslo, from October 17-24. 

International Week is organized by the United Nations Association of Norway, Norad, and the City of Oslo and features seminars, debates, films, concerts, a fashion show, art exhibition, and other activities specially geared towards children and youth.

Click here for a detailed schedule of events (in Norwegian).

Key documents in formulation of Norwegian development policy

Amila de Saram Larssen

In light of Norway just having reached its goal of allocating 1% of GNI to development activities, I thought it an opportune moment to catalog some of the major policy documents pertaining to the realization of this goal.

Norway's development policies are not to be found in any one specific piece of legislation.  Instead, a series of White Papers and presentations to the Parliament have shaped the country's development agenda. 

Norway reaches target of allocating 1% of GNI towards international development cooperation

Amila de Saram Larssen

In the budget for 2009, which was unveiled yesterday in Oslo, the Government proposes an allocation of NOK 26.2 billion in development cooperation funds, an increase of NOK 3.9 billion compared with the previous year.

Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim said, “Now we have set a precedent for future governments. At the same time as we are increasing the allocation to 1%, we are focusing sharply on how development efforts can become more effective. We are promoting private investments, peace efforts, and the fight against corruption and illegal capital flight, and supporting sound management of natural resources.”