Anne Kristin Sydnes, Minister of International Development

Dinner speech

Visit of President Andrés Pastrana, Colombia, 23-25 April 2001
and Commissioner Poul Nielson, the European Commission, 22-24 April 2001

Your Excellency President Pastrana,
Commissioner Nielson,
Ministers,
Distinguished guests,
Dear friends,

I’ve never been to Colombia, but there are few countries that I relate to like Colombia. I don’t have to tell you that Colombia is at the center of my husband’s attention - morning, noon and night. That is not only because he has a formal mission bestowed upon him by the Secretary General of the United Nations. It is just as much because he has strongly identified with Colombians ever since he shared their pains and hopes in the barrio el Minuto de Dios in Bogotá in the 1970s. It is therefore with particular pleasure that I welcome you and your delegation to Norway, your Excellency President Pastrana.

We have taken you up to the top of this hill overlooking Oslo, to a house out of the ordinary. This house has been the setting of important and laborious peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as Guatemalan government officials and comandantes of the URNG. Consider this house as su casa, should actors in the conflict in Colombia need a non-Colombian setting to advance on the road to peace.

We are very concerned with the sufferings that the armed conflict is inflicting on the civilian population in Colombia. We believe it is urgent to agree on a humanitarian code of conduct between the warring parties. We welcome the initiatives that have been taken to include the civil society in the peace process.

You have included Norway in a small group of friends in the peace endeavors with the ELN. Only last month Norway was invited to the group of facilitators in the dialogue with the FARC. We take our mission very seriously. One direct consequence of this is the recent opening of a Norwegian embassy in Bogotá.

We are very pleased to have won a seat in the United Nations Security Council for the next two years. We did, however, envy Colombia the 168 votes you got in the first round of voting. Norway needed three prórrogas against Italy. In all World Cups of football where Norway has participated, Italy has always been our stumbling block, normally beating us 1 – 0. On this occasion in the United Nations it was even more important for Norway to beat Italy than in any World Cup. We look forward to a fruitful cooperation with Colombia in the Security Council - for the good cause of world peace.

Speaking of football, when Norway last played Colombia – un amistoso here in Oslo, which ended in a goalless draw – Rene Higuita was still your national goalkeeper. All Norwegian football fans hoped that he would repeat the miraculous escorpión from Wembley. He didn’t, but now we hope that the parties to the conflict together may be able to perform a miraculous escorpión of peace, which can assure a better tomorrow for all Colombians. We know that Colombian problems need Colombian solutions, but you can still count on our solidarity and support. Mucha suerte Colombia!

Commissioner Nielson,

I am also very pleased that you could be with us tonight (even though the Commission does not have its own football team!) The fact that Norway has twice voted "no" to become a member of the EU does not interfere with our common goal: to reduce poverty. In order to make a lasting contribution to growth, development and poverty reduction in our partner countries, we must get better at coordinating our efforts, while otherwise keeping up the good work.

I hope and trust that the relationship between the EU Commission and Norway can be developed even further. The challenges we are facing on the development agenda must be met with strong and concerted action. With the United Nations’ Third Conference on the Least Developed Countries less than a month away, I think the old saying that "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" takes on special significance for both of us, as for our development partners.

Allow me to say that the EU’s recent decision to grant the least developed countries duty-free market access for "everything but arms" served as a major inspiration for the Norwegian Government - and for me personally. As you know, we have followed suit, just days ago.

* * *

Tomorrow morning, I will deliver my Annual Address on Norway’s development cooperation policy to the national assembly – the Storting. Today, the OECD has published its annual "ranking list" of donor countries. In terms of official development assistance divided by gross national product, Norway’s ratio is down from 0.9 in 1999 to 0.8 in 2000. I am expecting inquisitory questions from the media, to put it mildly.

My defense will be fourfold:

• Firstly, the ODA/GNP reduction was, for the most part, a product of the former government’s budget; not mine. (That’s always a good argument!).

• Secondly, and perhaps somewhat ironically - in an economy growing as fast as Norway’s it is mighty difficult to maintain a high ODA/GNP ratio. (In other words, the economy had better slow down!)

• Thirdly, the nominal increase in development spending since I took office is the largest in a long, long time. (Fortunately, for our partner countries money counts more than percentages!)
• My fourth defense is.... you, Commissioner Nielson. You will be present in the Storting tomorrow and will also join me in a subsequent encounter with the Norwegian media. I will be counting on your full and active support!

Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen,
Please join me in a toast to tonight’s guest of honor, President Pastrana.

Thank you all, and Skål!