Tore Hattrem was appointed State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 2015. His main areas of responsibility are security policy, the High North, matters relating to the US, Russia, Eurasia and Canada, humanitarian affairs and human rights.

Mr Hattrem has been with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1992, during which time he has gained broad diplomatic experience. Prior to his current appointment, he was Director General of the Department for Regional Affairs. He served as Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012, and as Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 2007 to 2010. Before that, he was Deputy Director General and Head of the Section for Peace and Reconciliation (2002–2007). He has been Adviser in the UN Security Council Unit (2000–2002), and he has been posted to the Permanent Mission of Norway to the UN and the WTO in Geneva (1997–2000), and to the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi (1994–1997). He has also worked in the UN Section (1992–1993).

Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he worked as Senior Executive Officer in the Ministry of Finance, and as officer in the Norwegian Armed Forces for several years.

Mr Hattrem has previously headed the Norwegian facilitation team in the peace process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front (a communist movement in the Philippines).

Mr Hattrem holds a Master degree in Political Science (Cand. Polit.), and a B.Sc. in Economics and Political Science. He graduated from the Norwegian Officer Candidate School in 1982.