Changes in Norway’s diplomatic presence abroad

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will establish new consulates general in Guangzhou, China, and southern Spain. The consulates general in Edinburgh and Minneapolis will be given the status of honorary consulates.

With a view to safeguarding Norwegian interests in the best possible way, the Foreign Minister has decided on certain reallocations of Norway’s diplomatic resources abroad. As was previously announced, a new consulate general will be established in Guangzhou in China. The embassy in Beijing will also be strengthened. It has also been decided that the embassy office in Beirut will be upgraded to full embassy status, that the embassy in Tirana will be closed, and that the embassy in Tunis will be moved to Algiers.

“Having a consulate general in Guangzhou will strengthen our bilateral cooperation with China, and is in line with our China strategy. A consulate general in southern Spain will enable us to meet the long felt need for services for the increasing numbers of Norwegians who are spending longer or shorter periods in the area,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“Adaptations and reallocations are necessary in order to ensure that our resources are directed to political and geographical priority areas. Even though we are now transforming the consulates general in Edinburgh and Minneapolis into honorary consulates, our extensive interests in the US and the UK will continue to be adequately taken care of,” said Mr Støre.

Some of the tasks carried out by the two consulates general today will be taken over by the honorary consulates. Others will be taken care of by the embassies in London and Washington. The consulates general in New York, Houston and San Francisco will ensure that Norway continues to have a strong consular presence in the US.