Global trends regarding HIV/AIDS are pointing in the right direction. The scientific achievements have been remarkable, and unique partnerships have been created. While there is room for celebration, there is no room for complacency. We would like to highlight the following elements that need our at…
Let me first thank Special Representative Kubiš for his briefing today and express our firm support to him and the dedicated staff of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). We welcome the renewal of UNAMA’s mandate to be adopted this week. The essence of that mandate is politi…
Norway is member of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and a major contributor to the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). My country attaches great importance to the peacebuilding architecture of the United Nations. Much has been achieved over the past few years and my delegati…
Norway sees the work of the treaty bodies as a cornerstone of the international system for monitoring States’ compliance with human rights obligations. We support all efforts to streamline the work of the treaty bodies to increase the efficiency, accessibility and impact of the treaty body system.
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We are also grateful for the detailed and sombre report provided by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Syrian authorities have deliberately declined to comply with its obligations under international law and have committed crimes against humanity. The Syrian authorities have chosen to bruta…
After 10 years of international military presence in Afghanistan, we have moved into a new phase. The military presence will be gradually scaled down, as the Afghans take over responsibility for their own security. Norwegian combat troops will be withdrawn by 2013, but Norway will not withdraw from …
More people are better off today than ever before. Many developing countries, not least the largest among them, have experienced a decade or more of impressive growth. People have not only been lifted out of poverty; fortunes have been made.
Despite such progress, too many people have been left beh…
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea sets forth the legal order for the seas and the oceans. All processes related to the oceans, including the sustainable use of marine resources, must be dealt with within the framework of the Convention.
Norway’s marine policy rests on an integrate…
I have the honour to speak on sub-item (a) of agenda item 123 on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
More than 120,000 men and women are today serving in United Nations peace operations. More than 20,000 of them are civilians — a number that has more than d…
Norway is pleased to sponsor of the draft resolution on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (A/66/L.6). My Government attaches great importance to the IAEA. Besides being a key guardian of our collective non-proliferation regime, it is an important partner in promoting social…
Since we last met here, major changes have swept through the world. We have been witnessing the Arab Spring. People are standing up against authoritarian rule and demanding respect for the fundamental values that underpin this very institution. Autocrats who have failed to offer the prospect of a be…
Prevention is key in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We know that preventing chronic diseases is a great investment for the benefit of people and the economy. If we do it right, the prevention of NCDs will contribute to economic growth and reduce social inequalities in health wit…
This youth conference ought to be about the rights and values that were attacked last Friday. It should be about the right and opportunity of young people to participate in public life, to shape and express their own opinions, to organize freely and to speak out against their own country’s leadershi…
Let me congratulate the Permanent Missions of Finland and Turkey on having initiated a process that will lead to today’s adoption of draft resolution A/65/L.79, entitled “Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention and resolution”. We would not …
HIV and AIDS are among the deadliest catastrophes that have ever hit humankind. More people have died from HIV and AIDS than died in the First World War, and 10 times as many as those who died in the Viet Nam War. Most certainly, the pandemic has been 100 times more deadly than most of the wars we s…
Let me first express our firm support for Special Representative De Mistura and commend him for his dedicated leadership in a time of transition to greater Afghan ownership.
Norway has a stake in the future of Afghanistan. We make a significant contribution of troops and we provide $150 million a y…
Norway would like to thank Botswana, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria and Qatar for bringing this timely initiative to the General Assembly. The membership of the United Nations has responded to their call by supporting resolution 65/265 across regions and political divides. By taking action today we have e…
The devastating earthquake in Haiti, the flood disaster in Pakistan and several other emergency crises have made 2010 a demanding year for the humanitarian response system. Together with the financial crisis, these emergencies have given the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, a most challen…
Every year, we seem to reach a critical juncture in the Middle East. And every year, in retrospect, we end up with a missed opportunity. However, Norway wants to underline that 2011 could represent an important crossroads in the peace process.
A Palestinian State structure is emerging, scheduled fo…
I will be addressing agenda item 115 this morning. We know that the global burden of disease is changing. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for almost 90 per cent of the disease burden in the European region and for about 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide. Part of the reason for that is tha…
