The foreign policy priorities in the government budget reflect the ambitions set out in the Government’s policy platform. - The Government considers the High North to be Norway’s most important strategic priority area in the years ahead, and we attach great importance to developing a cohesive policy. Therefore, our efforts in the North include measures in the three counties of northern Norway, in Svalbard and in the sea areas, and in cooperation with other countries in the region, said Foreign Minister Støre. - Norway’s international efforts to promote peace and reconciliation will be stepped up. Our efforts in the Middle East will also be intensified, for example by substantially increasing our contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Our efforts in Belarus and Ukraine will be intensified, with a focus on democracy-building measures and civil society.”

The High North

The High North will be Norway’s most important strategic priority area in the years ahead. The Government is therefore increasing the total allocation for a cohesive High North policy by approximately NOK 274 million, NOK 30 million of which is for continuing measures implemented in 2006.

In the Government Budget for 2007, the Government has attached particular importance to increasing the allocation for measures designed to strengthen cooperation with Russia and other countries in the North. Geological surveys will be instituted in the areas Nordland VII and Troms II as a follow-up to the Integrated Management Plan for the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea. Seismic data will also be collected southeast of Kong Karls Land off Svalbard. The Government will strengthen surveillance and control in northern sea areas by increasing allocations to the Coast Guard. It will also improve preparedness by introducing 24-hour guard duty at the rescue helicopter base in Bodø. The Government is also allocating extra funds for following up the Finnmark Act and implementing measures for disseminating information on High North issues. The Foreign Ministry’s budget proposal includes an overall account of the Government’s measures in the High North.

The allocation over the Foreign Ministry’s budget for support for project cooperation with Russia will be increased from NOK 106.3 million in 2006 to NOK 111.3 million in 2007. The main focus in this allocation will be on people-to-people cooperation by means of a grant to the Barents Secretariat, and on the environment and health.

The Government’s aim is that Norway should be at the forefront in terms of knowledge and expertise on the High North. The allocation for Barents 2020 is therefore being increased from NOK 10 million to NOK 20 million. Barents 2020 will finance projects that have a particular focus on resource use, environmental management and industrial development in the High North. It will also act as a link between centres of excellence, academic institutions and business and industry actors in countries with interests in the High North.

In the autumn of 2006 Norway will assume the chair of the Arctic Council. The Government will use the chairmanship to promote our priorities in the fields of resource management, environmental protection and climate change. It is therefore being proposed that the allocation for Arctic cooperation should be increased from NOK 5 million in 2006 to NOK 10 million in 2007.

The allocation for nuclear safety efforts in northwestern Russia will be maintained at the same high level as this year, i.e. NOK 110 million.

Intensified efforts for peace, human rights and humanitarian assistance

The Government’s aim is that Norway should have a high profile as a promoter of peace and contributor in the humanitarian and human rights fields. Norway’s international peace and reconciliation efforts will be intensified. The UN’s peace-building role will be strengthened, for example by allocating more money to the UN peace-building fund. The Government will support further reforms in the humanitarian field, and will increase Norway’s contribution to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Our humanitarian assistance will also be used to support peace and reconciliation efforts. Efforts to prevent humanitarian crises will be intensified. The Government will continue our extensive humanitarian efforts in the Middle East, Sudan, Central Africa, the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Efforts to improve the position of women will be an integral part of Norway’s efforts for peace, human rights and humanitarian assistance. The allocations in these areas will be increased by a total of NOK 840 million in 2007.

The Middle East

Allocations for bilateral development cooperation in the Middle East will be increased by NOK 30 million, from NOK 140.5 million in 2006 to NOK 170.5 million in 2007. In addition, allocations for humanitarian efforts and peace and reconciliation measures in the region will be increased by NOK 150 million. This means that the Government’s development assistance to the Palestinian Territory will be further increased in 2007. At the same time, the possibility of providing development assistance to Lebanon is being considered. The Government’s aim is to help make Lebanon less vulnerable both to friction between different ethnic groups and to pressure from its neighbours. Conflict situations pose challenges for donor cooperation, and call for a willingness to accept risks related to the achievement of Norwegian development assistance targets.

The Government will also increase the allocation to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from NOK 100 million in 2006 to NOK 150 million in 2007. In the Government’s view, UNRWA is helping to stabilise the situation in the Middle East through its efforts to improve the living conditions of a large ethnic group in the region.

Culture

The Government will increase the allocation for the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy efforts targeted at the Western countries by NOK 10.6 million, to a total of approximately NOK 75 million in 2007. This increase is a means of achieving some of the aims set out in the Government’s white paper on cultural policy. It will be used to renew and intensify international cultural cooperation, efforts to promote Norway abroad and national public diplomacy efforts. NOK 10 million of this money will be used in connection with the Government’s efforts in the High North and is earmarked for press, cultural and information measures in the High North.

Belarus and Ukraine

The Government will increase the allocation for Ukraine from NOK 8 million in 2006 to NOK 26 million in 2007. Priority will be given to democracy-building measures and projects in the health and social sector, education, environmental protection and energy.

The Government is also increasing the allocation for Belarus from NOK 4 million in 2006 to NOK 9 million in 2007. Priority will be given primarily to efforts to strengthen civil society and conditions that facilitate the development of a political opposition. The focus will also be on promoting freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

New embassy in Algeria

The Foreign Ministry is working to establish an embassy in Algiers in the course of 2006. There are parallel plans to convert the embassy in Tunis to an honorary consulate.