Hans Olav Karde new chair of Government’s High North committee

Hans Olav Karde, CEO of Sparebank 1 Nord-Norge, has been appointed as the new chair of the Government’s High North committee. “I would like to welcome Mr Karde as chair of the committee, and I look forward to continued close and fruitful cooperation with the committee in the time ahead,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

The committee was appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April 2010 for a two-year period. A decision has now been made to extend the committee’s term by one year, until June 2013.

“Mr Karde’s extensive experience and his central position in the private sector in North Norway mean that he has an ideal background for leading the work of the committee,” Mr Støre said.

Mr Karde replaces Professor Frode Mellemvik, who has chosen to step down from this post.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank Professor Mellemvik for all the effort he has put in as chair of the committee for the last two years, and for the solid foundation that has been laid for its work in the time ahead,” Mr Støre said.

The mandate of the committee is to advise the Government on value creation and business development in the High North, and to identify new opportunities for Norway as a result of developments in the region, including its increasingly strategic position. The committee’s tasks also include suggesting measures for improving Norway’s value creation based on cross-border contact and cooperation, and acting as a dialogue partner for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The High North Center at the University of Nordland will continue to function as the secretariat of the High North committee, with Arne O. Holm acting as secretary.

A list of the committee’s other members is available here.