Minister of International Development Erik Solheim launched the Policy Coherence Committee today. The 17 members of the committee will be taking a new and critical look at how Norway’s policies affect development in poor countries.

- We have an opportunity to eliminate poverty in the course of one generation, so we must make sure that all our political efforts are geared to this goal. This is why we need a committee that can consider Norwegian policy as a whole and how we can ensure that everything we do is designed to reduce poverty, said Mr Solheim at the launch of the committee.

The committee was appointed by the King in Council. It has been given over a year to complete its evaluations and to make proposals for how Norwegian policy as a whole can be used to reduce poverty in the developing countries. The committee will look at the whole range of policy areas, including trade, subsidies and conditions of competition, migration, climate and environmental issues, Norwegian private-sector investments in developing countries, corporate social responsibility and anti-corruption efforts.

- I have tried to find committee members who can take a new and creative approach to these issues, said Mr Solheim.

The committee members have a wide range of experience and expertise, which will be needed for fulfilling the mandate. The committee is to produce an an Official Norwegian Report, which will form the basis for a new Norwegian policy for the fight against poverty. The committee has been asked to deliver its report and recommendations by the middle of 2008.

The committee includes representatives from the business sector, NGOs, research and the media and politicians. Three of the members are journalist and writer Åsne Seierstad, entrepreneur Shahzad Rana and Audun Lysbakken, deputy leader of the Socialist Left Party. The chairman of the committee is Gunstein Instefjord of Norwegian Church Aid. “I appreciate the opportunity to take part in this work, and would like to emphasise how important it is that the Government has taken this initiative. We have an interesting and challenging mandate, and the work of the committee will be important for the credibility of Norway’s development policy,” said Mr Instefjord.

Press contact: Marte Lid, tel. + 47 91650528

• Members of the committee