Jens Stoltenberg to speak at the Session of the Nordic Council
NATO:s generalsekreterare Jens Stoltenberg
“We are delighted that NATO’s Secretary General will be a guest speaker when politicians from the Nordic countries meet in Oslo. The security-policy situation is high on the agenda for Nordic co-operation, due in large part to Russia’s war in Ukraine. “A safe, green and young Nordic Region” are the priorities for the Norwegian Presidency, and co-operation on defence is fundamental for a safe Region. We now look forward to the whole of the Nordic Region being in NATO and will discuss with Jens Stoltenberg what that means for Nordic security and co-operation,” says the President of the Nordic Council, Jorodd Asphjell.
The Nordic Council invites a high-profile guest speaker to the Session every year. Stoltenberg previously addressed the Session in 2021, when defence policy was also the theme. Last year, the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, spoke on a similar topic – the importance of Nordic co-operation in a new security situation.
Security policy increasingly important
Defence and security policy has become increasingly important in Nordic co-operation this century, in sharp contrast to previous decades, when the Nordic Council did not discuss these issues. Since 2009, the Nordic countries have worked together on defence in Nordic Defence Co-operation (Nordefco). The Nordic Council of Ministers does not engage in similar official co-operation on defence policy.
The 75th Session of the Nordic Council will be held in the Norwegian parliament in Oslo from 30 October until 2 November. The annual Session is held in the country that holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council. At it, the 87 members of the Council discuss proposals and listen to reports from the Nordic prime ministers and other government ministers about the progress the countries have made on Council recommendations.
