A delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway visited the ASEAN Secretariat on 4 June 2009. Led by the Director General covering Asia and Oceania, Mrs. Aud Marit Wig, the delegation included six Norwegian Ambassadors in ASEAN Member States, namely H.E. Mr. Eivind S. Homme (Indonesia), H.E. Mr. Arild Braastad (Malaysia), H.E. Mr. Kjell Størlokken (Viet Nam), H.E. Mr. Staale Torstein Risa (the Philippines), H.E. Ms. Janne Julsrud (Singapore), and H.E. Mrs. Merete Fjeld Brattested (Thailand). The rest of the delegation comprised of Mrs. Tanja Hege, Deputy Director General for Asia and Oceania and Mrs. Birgitte Hygen, First Secretary of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Jakarta.
The Norwegian delegates were welcomed by Mr. Sayakane Sisouvong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community. They were briefed on the latest developments in ASEAN and the region’s community-building and integration efforts in pursuit of an ASEAN Community by 2015. ASEAN’s achievements and challenges ahead were also raised. Both sides also exchanged views of how Norway and ASEAN can further work together in areas of mutual concern and interest. Mr. Sisouvong also took the opportunity to reaffirm ASEAN’s gratitude for the humanitarian assistance from Norway in supporting activities related to the humanitarian efforts of ASEAN in Burma in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.
