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…
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 Norwegian combat troops will be withdrawn by 2013, but Norway will not withdraw from …
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…
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…
Norway is a staunch supporter of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The high standards and achievements of the Tribunals are reflected in their well-reasoned judgements and the annual reports before us (A/6…
By establishing the new gender entity, UN Women, today, we are truly rectifying an anomaly. We hope that this will prove to be a historic day for us, and in particular for the more than half the world’s population that is female, whose prospects and possibilities in life are inferior to those of boy…
Norway is a founding member of the International Contact Group on Somalia and we chair the Group of Friends here in New York.
The Djibouti process is a Somali process. It is owned and driven by Somalis. The Transitional Federal Institutions should be driving the process and should do so with a unif…
Today, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Terrorism continues to threaten innocent people around the world. Terrorism must never be tolerated and can never be justified. Terrorism can be effectively countered only by apply…
As the crisis appears to be gradually receding, we possess new knowledge about the capacity of our institutions and the limited policy space prevailing in a large number of countries. Mobilizing resources for development is primarily each and every country’s own responsibility, and developed countri…
Afghanization is increasingly the mantra of our support for Afghanistan. Rather than being a euphemism for exit, it underlines the importance of an Afghan-led process that is responsible, inclusive and transparent and promotes the fundamental rights of the Afghan people. This is of great importance …
An integrated and long- term approach to the fight against international terrorism must strike a balance between preventive and combative measures. If we fail to take a long-term perspective in our fight against terrorist groups today, we may face new, stronger terrorist groups, with greater popular…
I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ould Abdallah, for his important presentation here today and for the work he is doing under difficult circumstances. I am also pleased to see my colleague, the Permanent Representative of Somalia, participating in our mee…
The significance of the decision we have just debated goes far beyond the Gaza conflict. It is about our responsibility to protect vulnerable groups in armed conflict. It is about restoring the role of international humanitarian law and the importance of full respect for fundamental principles that …
Let me start by expressing Norway’s full and continuing support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and our recognition of the Court’s work over the past year. We welcome the ICC’s fifth annual report (A/64/356) and would like to thank the President of the Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, for his…
It was truly heartening to listen to the speaker before me, the representative of Zambia, and I must commend that country for its achievements in pursuing the health-related Millennium Development Goals in particular.
As a friend and partner, Norway continues to support the vision and goals of the …
Deplorably, in recent years we have seen too many instances of the lack of effective protection for vulnerable groups in armed conflict. We have seen too many victims, including children, women and innocent bystanders. We have seen parties to armed conflicts acting in ways that we cannot accept and …
