It is a great pleasure and an honor to welcome you all to what I am sure will be two interesting days with a focus on one very important aspect of Nordic refugee policy: resettlement. Resettlement as a Multi-faceted Protection Tool and its Relationship to Migration is a fairly long and challenging title. It declares that resettlement is to be viewed in the context of protection of refugees, the very subject of UNHCR’s global consultations. At the same time, it implies that resettlement also incorporates elements of the broader issue of migration.

Refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants – these are words that evoke interest and emotions in the public debate as well as in private conversations. As the Nordic societies are becoming increasingly multicultural, we realize that policies pursued will impact our societies in a more tangible manner than before. And, we must admit, not everyone is equally delighted to be part of a globalized world, particularly when it is reflected in one’s own neighborhood.

I think it is fair to say that the terms “immigrants” and especially “asylum seekers” have quite a few negative connotations in the general public in host countries, whether we like it or not. There are rational and not so rational explanations for these reactions, and I am sure that you are familiar with most of them. In contrast, it is interesting to observe how much more positive a response the word “refugee” evokes. I am sure that there are rational and not so rational explanations in this case as well.

In the Nordic countries, refugees, especially as determined by UNHCR, are regarded as “real” or “genuine” refugees, and we have for years agreed to quotas for such refugees for resettlement here. We have welcomed these refugees to our societies because of their need for protection. These quota refugees have been an integral part of our refugee policy to such an extent that many of us may have been surprised to learn that the number of states practicing resettlement quotas is not very high. Moreover, the selection criteria for the quota refugees among those states that do receive resettlement refugees vary, making the Nordic experience even more unique. We are pleased and honored that UNHCR has chosen to organize a workshop on resettlement here in Oslo as a Nordic contribution to the global consultations on international protection of refugees.

In many ways, a Nordic/UNHCR gathering has significant components of what in other contexts has been referred to as “like-mindedness”. The fact that the Nordic contributions to UNHCR are the highest ones per capita, and even among the very highest in absolute terms, testifies to the strong support that UNHCR and its mission have in the Nordic countries. Of course, we realize that there are other ways in addition to cash donations and resettlement quotas to supporting UNHCR and the refugee cause. Nevertheless, these are two means by which the Nordic countries have felt they could make a difference and contribute to international burden or responsibility sharing.

There is one more area in which the Nordic countries are in the forefront. We have always emphasized the need for civil society to be involved with refugee matters – as in other areas of public policy. All over Scandinavia, private organizations have become engaged in the plight of refugees. Sometimes they do not fully agree with the policies conducted by their national governments, but they are always viewed as valued advisers and important providers of input to national policies. I do not think any politician feels he or she can lightly ignore their opinions. Therefore, it is a well-established practice to include NGO representatives in our policy process, as we have done in this workshop. We are convinced that this approach is mutually beneficial in increasing our common understanding of the matters discussed and placing them in a broader context.

The current situation, which has developed since 11 September, gives workshops like this even greater importance. The humanitarian situation and the number of refugees from Afghanistan were enormous even before the present crisis. The situation has since deteriorated and therefore the Government has granted 200 million Norwegian kroner to help alleviate this situation. 1 January next year Norway takes over the chairmanship of the Afghan Support Group. The challenge to co-ordinate aid is now on our hands.

With these few words of welcome on my part, I trust that you will have fruitful discussions that will bring new insights to the participants and provide creative inputs to the international debate on the protection of refugees. I hope you will also enjoy the more social parts of your stay here, and look forward to having you as our guests for dinner tonight.