Tal på NORA konferens
The Secretay Generals opening remarks at the NORA Region Conference 5 April 2011
The Secretay Generals opening remarks at the NORA Region Conference 5 April 2011
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure for me to open this conference here today. I would like to give a special warm welcome to the people of the OECD and to our friends from abroad. I would also like to thank NORA for taking the initiative of arranging this conference.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The organisation that I represent, The Nordic Council of Ministers, has for many years worked actively to seek opportunities for closer Nordic and regional cooperation. I have myself for a very long time, on many different levels, been involved in politics. During the years I have seen a shifting interest for regional cooperation. My feeling now is however that regional cooperation is very high on the political agenda.
There are of course many reasons behind this current trend, but I believe globalisation is the most important one. Even though globalisation is not in it self a new phenomenon the impact of it, on almost every aspect of life, has in the resent years become very clear.
The best way to tackle the problems, but also to utilise the opportunities, is cooperation with friends and neighbours. This is also the easiest way, because usually you have a lot in common with your friends and neighbours. History, norms, language, culture, infrastructure etc.
The Nordic Council of Ministers has in the last few years in many ways shifted its focus towards political initiatives supporting the region’s abilities to cope with challenges associated with globalisation. For instance promoting research and innovation related to climate, environment and energy issues. But, also in other fields that can strengthen our global competitiveness.
The Nordic council of ministers has also become more and more involved with neighbouring regions. I am convinced that close coordination and regional cooperation is beneficial not only for the Nordic region but also for our neighbours.
Traditionally the focus has been to the East and the Baltic Sea, but just recently the Nordic Council of Ministers approved its guideline for cooperation with the neighbours in the West. The cooperation with them, mostly Canada, is still on a quite small scale and under development. I hope however that our cooperation towards the West will grow and in this respect the NORA region can play an active role. The Nordic Council of Ministers is also involved in questions concerning the Arctic, which is also highly relevant for the NORA region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The focus of today’s conference is on the OECD report on the NORA-region (the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Costal Norway). Many of the challenges that the report identifies are also highly relevant for the Nordic region as a whole. It is however clear that the NORA region also faces some very specific challenges due to its extraordinary geographical location. There are also many different challenges within the NORA region.
Luckily the OECD report does not only list a set of problems and challenges, but also buts forward recommendations for the region. Many of the recommendations are also interesting from a broader Nordic perspective. For instance recommendations concerning thinly populated areas and renewable energy.
A recommendation that especially concerns the NORA region is the question of developing a long-term regional strategy. I think this is a vital question, because without a “grand strategy” it is challenging to get the necessary focus and energy into the cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The NORA region is an important part of the Nordic region. The region has many challenges and opportunities. If we can find some tangible ways of meeting the challenges we face it will be beneficial for the whole region.
The melting of the ice will have unforeseen influence in the region, both on land and in the oceans. Through cooperation we can meet these challenges and utilise the opportunities for the benefit of the people in the region.
