Bjørn Olav Megard to lead the Department of Sami and Minority Affairs

In the Council of State today deputy director general Bjørn Olav Megard was appointed as director general in the Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs. Megard takes over as head of the Department of Sami and Minority Affairs after Peter Drefvelin, who has retired.

Bjørn Olav Megard (40) holds a cand. polit. degree in social anthropology from the University of Oslo and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. Megard has experience as an advisor in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and as political advisor to the Christian Democrats’ Parliamentary Party Group. From 2004 Megard has been deputy director general in Department of Sami and Minority Affairs.

The Department of Sami and Minority Affairs is responsible for formulating and coordinating the state’s policies towards the Sami population and the national minorities (Roma, the Romani People / Tater, Jews, Kven and Skogfinn). The department has a broad interface with other ministries and public authorities at various levels, and works to ensure that the Sami policy and minority policy objectives are met when government measures and policies are formulated and implemented. There is extensive contact with the Sami Parliament and the institutions and organizations among the Sami people and national minorities.