Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Dagfinn Høybråten, stressed the need for further development in Baltic- Nordic relations at The Baltic Development Forum Summit 29-30 May 2013. – We are not just gathered around the same sea, we are in the same boat, said Høybråten at the summit where all the heads of government from the Baltic nations were in attendance.
NCM Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten (far right) joined by Prime Minister and President of Latvia, Valdis Dombrovskis and Andris Bērziņš, Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister of Estonia and Algirdas Butkevicius, Prime Minister of Lithuania.
The 15thBDF Summit was held in the Latvian capital, Riga. Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and Andris Bērziņš, President of Latvia, were joined by more than 550 participants including Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister of Estonia and Algirdas Butkevicius, Prime Minister of Lithuania.
Read all about the 15th BDF Summit here: The Baltic Development Forum
The Nordic Council of Ministers was represented by Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten, who participated in debates exploring issues regarding the international cooperation in the region highlighted by The Political State of the Region report 2013. The Political State of the Region Report is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The report discusses trends and directions in the Baltic Sea Region cooperation and is edited by Dr.Bernd Henningsen Dr. Tobias Etzold, who also participated in the debates.
- The Political State of the Region report makes an interesting read. There seems to be a correlation between regions with a solid structure of regional cooperation and the ability to make reforms and recover from economic crises. From a Nordic point of view, I am convinced that the relatively fast recovery from the recent crises has benefited from cooperation between the Nordic countries. I would strongly encourage further coordination in Nordic- Baltic cooperation, said Dagfinn Høybråten, stating that the full potential in the Baltic- Nordic cooperation is not yet reached.
Using the metaphor of "a shared boat" between the Nordic and Baltic Nations, the Secretary General confirmed the importance placed upon Baltic- Nordic relations by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
- There is a need for further coordination in Nordic- Baltic cooperation. I strongly believe that cooperation makes our societies stronger, more resilient, and more competitive, concluded Dagfinn Høybråten.
Frøydis Johannessen
Phone
+45 21 71 71 44
Email
frjo@norden.org
Ane Kofod Petersen
Phone
+45 3396 0254
Email
akp@norden.org