Halldór Ásgrímsson 1947–2015

The current Secretary General, Dagfinn Høybråten, said of his predecessor:

“It is with great sadness that we learn of Halldór Ásgrímsson’s sudden passing. Iceland and the Nordic Region have lost a statesman and a leader, one who has been at the forefront of developments in the Region for a generation. Halldór entered politics at an early age and served as an MP, party leader and minister. Outside Iceland, he is best known for his time as foreign minister and prime minister, during which he built up a wide international network. When the Nordic Council of Ministers needed a new Secretary General, he became the first Icelander to take up the post. Halldór brought a wealth of wide-ranging experience to his full-time position in the service of Nordic co-operation – a cause he supported passionately throughout his adult life. One of his successes was to make Nordic work on globalisation and green growth the remit of the prime ministers, who are ultimately responsible for inter-governmental co-operation in the Region. Although he chose to appear cautious, nobody who met him was ever in any doubt about Halldór’s deep commitment to more binding and dynamic co-operation in the Nordic Region.

At this time, as we honour Halldór’s memory, our thoughts are with his wife Sigurjóna and his family. May he rest in peace.”