Adherence of the Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) to the Santiago principles

To table of content

Adherence of the Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) to the Santiago principles

The Santiago Principles or GenerallyAccepted Principles and Practices (GAPP) is an initiative1 of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF).

The Principles recognise the importance of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) to demonstrate to their home countries and domestic stakeholders, to the countries in which they are invested and to the international financial markets in general that such investment vehicles are properly set up and that investments are made on an economic and financial basis.

The Principles are underpinned by the following guiding objectives for SWFs:

  1. To help maintain a stable global financial system and free flow of capital and investment;
  2. To comply with all applicable regulatory and disclosure requirements in the countries in which the SWFs invest;
  3. To invest on the basis of economic and financial risk and return-related considerations; and
  4. To have in place a transparent and sound governance structure that provides for adequate operational controls, risk management and accountability.

The Government Pension Fund comprises the Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) and the Government Pension Fund Norway (GPFN). The GPFG and GPFN do not constitute separate legal entities. The Ministry of Finance has reviewed the legal and operational superstructure related to the management of the Funds.

This self-assessment documents the adherence of the GPFG to the Santiago Principles. For the adherence of the GPFN to the Principles please see the stand-alone self-assessment for the GPFN.

Key sources of information are highlighted for each principle. On the aggregate level the Ministry would like to draw the attention to the following formative documents, to which reference is made throughout:

The Government Pension Fund Act

The Norges Bank Act

The Management Mandate for the Government Pension Fund Global

Guidelines for Observation and Exclusion from the Government Pension Fund Global

Regulation on Risk Management and Internal Control at Norges Bank (in Norwegian only)

Regulation on Financial Reporting at Norges Bank (in Norwegian only)

Furtherinformationonthe Fund and the sources referred to in this self-assessment are available on theMinistry’s and Norges Bank’s websites:

Ministry of Finance’s websites:

Norges Bank’s websites:

Footnotes

1.

The International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) was established in 2009 with the purpose of promoting the Santiago Principles. The Santiago Principles encompass 24 Generally Accepted Principles and Practices (GAPP) for sovereign wealth funds promoting inter alia transparency, good governance, accountability, and prudent investment practices. Norway is not a member of the IFSWF, but fully supports these principles.