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THE ORGANIZATION

Government Donors

Norway

Norway
  • © B. Vycital
  • Oslo Royal Palace

Norway has a strong partnership with UNESCO and supports many priorities that are vital for the organisation’s mandate. This is also valid in terms of extra-budgetary contributions.

Framework agreement and Programme Cooperation Agreement
Norway voluntary cooperation to UNESCO’s activities is well structured through two main agreements, and represent one of the example of best practices in that field. In 2003, a Framework Agreement on programme cooperation in the field of development cooperation was signed between the Government of Norway and UNESCO, aiming to cover all voluntary contributions to UNESCO. A Programme Cooperation Agreement was also signed for the 2008-2009 biennium and is to be renewed every two years to specify the main programmatic areas of interest. Norway provides strong support for a programme approach, and its priorities within UNESCO lies in three main areas.


Programme support

  • Education for All, mainly the Capacity-Building Programme & the Global Monitoring Report; Since several years, Norway has been also supporting UNESCO’s emergency educational programmes in the Great Lake region through the UN Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP).
  • A high priority in Norwegian international higher education policy is the support of quality assurance measures. Norway has taken a prominent role in launching and promoting the joint UNESCO-OECD project on Quality Assurance in Cross-Border Provision of Higher Education, chaired the steering group and is a significant funder of the follow-up.
  • Culture, mainly cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue; World Heritage sites under threat; intangible and tangible cultural heritage; cultural rights/cultural industries/copyright. In December 2005, Norway launched its Strategy for Culture and Sports Cooperation with countries in the South. The strategy was presented at UNESCO Head quarters by the Political Advisor of the Minister of International Development, Mr. Torbjørn Urfjell, on behalf of the Development Minister.The strategy, the first comprehensive declaration of principles of Norway's culture and sports cooperation with developing countries, helps foster broad understanding of why cultural factors are important in development policy, poverty reduction and human rights issues.
  • International Programme for the Development of Communication(IPDC).


In addition, and after the tsunami disaster, Norway generously contributed to the UNESCO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's establishment of a coordinated Indian Ocean tsunami monitoring and warning system.


Institutional Support
Support to such UNESCO institutes as the the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), and the UNESCO Institute for Education - Hamburg, as well as to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), has been also generously provided by the Government of Norway.

Development cooperation: poverty reduction as an over arching goal

In 2006, Norway allocated 0.89% of GNI to development cooperation thus approaching the 1% target set by the Norwegian Government for 2006-2009.

Since several years, the Norwegian government has strengthened its focus on the fight against poverty, with Millenium Development Goals serving as the central point of reference. A White Paper titled Fighting Poverty Together, which is a comprehensive development policy, was published in 2004 to emphasize Norway’s policy in this regard. In addition, Norway is moving towards a rights-based approach to development in connection with the fight against poverty.

UNESCO works closely with The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD) who is responsible for the formulation of development policy and adopts strategies for cooperation with individual countries. More specifically, UNESCO has build strong cooperation with different departments within the Ministry, i.e. the Department for Glocal Affairs (UN Section and Section for Humanitarian Affairs), the Department for Press, Cultural Relations and Information, the Section for Russia and the other CIS countries and the Asia Section.

The Ministry therefore also administrates Norway's multilateral development cooperation and Norwegian disaster relief, and is politically and technically responsible for Norwegian development cooperation. After the 1st of April 2004 The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have the responsibility for the bilateral development cooperation – which the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) previously was responsible for. As part of the reform process, the Norad responsibilities were modified to cover:
  • the evaluation, quality assurance, knowledge management; and
  • the administration of grant schemes in favour of civil society organisations and the private sector.

As a technical directorate under the MFA, it also provides advisory services to the Ministry and the embassies upon request.

Donors coordination and harmonization of development aid

Norway has a leading role in donors’ efforts to harmonize practices with national poverty reduction strategies of developing countries. It has been moving towards the adoption of aid modalities that reflect increased donor coordination, aid effectiveness and national ownership in the context of strategies developed by partner countries. The government of Norway has also endorsed the principles of Good Humanitarian Donorship. In addition, and as part of the Utstein Group, Norway is firmly committed to strong partneship for the coordination of development assistance. Within the Nordic + group, Norway had let discussions on the scope for harminization and alignment with PRSs, and is implementing new aid modalities.

Proactive role in the UN reform
the Government of Norway is working for a considerably strengthened United Nations, since a UN-led word order is in Norway’s interests. Norway is actively supporting the UN reform process and seek to cooperate with like-minded countries in efforts to achieve a more modern, more effective world organisation. The Government of Norway will pursue a development cooperation policy with an increase focus on contributing to economic growth and sustainable development and promoting human rights.

Geographic priorities

Norway's development assistance is primarily directed to least developed and poor countries, including Sub-Saharan Africa.

Related Links:
Fighting Poverty Together: A comprehensive development policy (pdf file)
Strategy for Norway’s cultural and sports cooperation with countries in the south (pdf file)
Nordic+ group joint action plan for effective aid delivery through harmonization and alignment of donor practices

 

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