Veterans discussed with Danish Defence Minister

Defence Minister Grete Faremo was visited yesterday by her Danish colleague, Defence Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech. Norway and Denmark cooperate closely in matters of defence and the two defence ministers discussed subjects including developments and cooperation in Afghanistan and the aftercare of returning veterans, two important themes for both ministers.

Defence Minister Grete Faremo and Denmark’s Defence Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech. Photo: Norwegian Ministry of Defence

“The Nordic countries are facing many of the same problems and challenges when it comes to looking after personnel serving in operations abroad, and not least following their return from the operational area. This is important for both of us and we are therefore extremely interested in sharing our experiences with the aim of doing even more to ensure that our veterans receive the support and acknowledgement that they deserve,” says Grete Faremo.

Danmarks Radio has just had a team in Norway doing a feature on how the Norwegian Armed Forces look after their veterans. Their stay included a visit to the Armed Forces Veterans Centre at Bæreia.

Lillelund Bech was keen to emphasise the good cooperation between Norway and Denmark and the importance of maintaining a close dialogue at ministerial level. The two defence ministers discussed the further development of Nordic defence cooperation and NATO’s new Strategic Concept. Lillelund Bech also briefed her Norwegian counterpart on the status of the Danish combat aircraft project and the latest Danish Defence Agreement.