Nordic News, Business and Life in Asia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR said Sweden has contributed 2.9m$ to support the SAFE+2 programme for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The programme focuses on expanding access to …
Sweden gives 2.9m$ to UN Rohingya clean energy programme in Bangladesh Read More
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn hosted a working dinner with Mariann Ruud Hagen, Norway’s ambassador to ASEAN. ASEAN said they discussed strengthening the ASEAN–Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership. The ASEAN post …
ASEAN secretary-general meets Norway’s ambassador to ASEAN for talks on partnership Read More
New research from the Swedish Defence University examines disaster response after Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s Rakhine state on 14 May 2023. The study says the Arakan Army became a central …
Swedish Defence University study examines Cyclone Mocha relief and conflict risks in Myanmar Read More
The January 2026 issue of ScandAsia Magazine is now available! 📖 Read it your way: Download the full PDF: Click Here Read online: Read Online or Fullscreen Scan the QR …
ScandAsia Magazine January 2026 Read More
Norway’s Parliament control committee is moving ahead with a probe into how Telenor and the state handled the company’s exit from Myanmar. The Norwegian state owns just under 54% of …
Norwegian Parliament committee probes Telenor’s controversial Myanmar exit Read More Telenor has issued an official response to the Norwegian OECD National Contact Point’s (NCP) final statement on the company’s forced exit from Myanmar in 2022. The statement follows a period …
Telenor rejects key criticism in OECD review of Myanmar exit Read More
Norway has expressed concern over the human rights situation in Myanmar as the military regime continues preparations for elections despite ongoing conflict. In a statement on Tuesday 10 December, State …
Norway voices concern over human rights situation in Myanmar Read More
Finland has been ranked the world’s lowest-risk country for money laundering in the Basel AML Index 2025. Myanmar, in contrast, is rated the highest-risk jurisdiction worldwide. The Basel AML Index …
Finland tops global anti-money-laundering index as Myanmar ranks highest risk Read More
Denmark will upgrade its office in Ho Chi Minh City to a consulate general as part of a new diplomatic reorganisation. The change is aimed at strengthening Danish efforts in …
Denmark plans to boost presence in Vietnam and close embassy in Myanmar Read More
Finland has started preparations to close its embassy in Yangon in 2026. The move is part of a wider restructuring of Finland’s diplomatic network, which also includes embassies in Islamabad …
Finland plans to close Yangon embassy as part of diplomatic overhaul Read More
Three NGOs have criticised Swedish pension funds for investing about 485$ million in companies linked to Myanmar’s military. The groups say the companies either sell weapons to, or do other …
Swedish pension funds face criticism over investments tied to Myanmar military Read More
The November 2025 issue of ScandAsia Magazine is now available! 📖 Read it your way: Download the full PDF: Click Here Read online: Read Online or Fullscreen Scan the QR …
ScandAsia Magazine November 2025 Read More
Finland has joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia (TAC), becoming the 58th High Contracting Party at a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur witnessed by Asean Secretary-General …
Finland accedes to Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation Read More
Reuters reports that civil society groups in Myanmar are preparing legal action against Norwegian telecom company Telenor, accusing it of sharing customer data with the country’s military regime. The groups …
Myanmar groups plan to sue Norway’s Telenor over data sharing with junta Read More
The 2025 Right Livelihood Award has been presented to activists from Myanmar and Taiwan as well as Sudan and the Pacific Islands, for their efforts in democracy, human rights, and …
Myanmar and Taiwan activists awarded Sweden’s Right Livelihood Prize Read More
On September 29 2025, the Swedish Government announced a new humanitarian support package worth SEK 775 million to address global crises, with Myanmar among the ten countries prioritized for aid. …
Sweden allocates SEK 23 million for humanitarian assistance in Myanmar Read More
At a side event on Myanmar during the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Finland’s Minister of Education, Anders Adlercreutz, underlined his country’s commitment to supporting Myanmar’s younger …
Finland highlights support for Myanmar’s youth at UN General assembly Read More
On 15 September, Danish Industry (DI), Denmark’s largest business and employers’ organisation, officially opened its first office in Southeast Asia, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The new office …
Danish Industry opens first Southeast Asia office in Ho Chi Minh City Read More
Six out of ten young Norwegians take a year or more off after finishing high school, and many use the time to travel the world. But not all are covered …
Young travelers without proper insurance run an expensive risk Read More
A UK-based health media company, Fixing US, is seeking two to three Nordic individuals who have experienced Japanese encephalitis to participate in a disease-awareness project for the Nordic region. The …
Do you know Nordic people who ever had Japanese encephalitis Read More
We previously reported that Copenhagen City Hall had become known as “the Las Vegas of Europe” for international couples. But now the city is tightening rules after years of soaring …
Copenhagen limits foreign weddings after surge in demand Read More Sweden will phase out its development cooperation with Myanmar by 30 June 2026, according to a government announcement on 11 September 2025. The decision is part of a broader shift …
Sweden to phase out development aid to Myanmar by 2026 Read More
The Irrawaddy has reported, that two human rights groups, Justice for Myanmar (JFM) and ICJ Norway, have filed a complaint with the Norwegian police against telecom giant Telenor and its …
Norwegian rights groups file police complaint against Telenor over Myanmar operations Read More Norwegian telecom operator Telenor is facing renewed scrutiny over its former operations in Myanmar, after reports revealed that sensitive user data was shared with the military junta following the 2021 …
Telenor data transfers linked to arrests and executions in Myanmar Read More
At an international conference in Cox’s Bazar this week, Bangladesh’s interim government leader Muhammad Yunus presented a seven-point proposal aimed at ensuring the safe repatriation of 1.3 million Rohingya refugees …
Nordic countries issue call for action on Rohingya crisis Read More
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Yangon has welcomed Svenn J. Bjerkem as its new Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission. Bjerkem brings with him more than three decades of …
Norwegian Embassy in Yangon welcomes new Deputy Head of Mission Read More
Yoma Bank, part-owned by Norway’s development finance institution Norfund, has partnered with global payments network MoneyGram to enable near-instant cross-border money transfers to Yoma Bank accounts across Myanmar. The service …
Norfund-backed Yoma Bank partners with MoneyGram to offer remittances for Myanmar’s migrant workers Read More
Nordic citizens continue to hold some of the world’s most powerful passports, according to the latest update of the Passport Index by Global Residence Index. The ranking evaluates more than …
Nordic passports rank among the world’s most valuable Read More
The election day for Norway’s 2025 Parliamentary (Storting) and Sámi Parliament elections is Monday 8 September 2025. In many Norwegian municipalities, polling stations will also open on Sunday 7 September. …
Norwegians in Southeast Asia can vote early in the 2025 elections Read More
Since 2009, ScandAsia has published 364 ScandAsia publications on Issuu, plus 13 editions of Thailand Expat Guide and 49 issues of Thai-Danish Trade News publishhed for the Danish Thai Cham …
ScandAsia migrating digital archive of the Nordic history in Asia Read More
US President Donald Trump issued on Saturday 12 July 2025 letters — posted on Truth Social and other channels — informing the European Union that a 30 percent tariff will be imposed on their …
Nordic leaders slam Trump’s new 30 percent EU tariff threat Read More
Starting October 2025, the EU will roll out a new Entry/Exit System (EES) at all entry points to the EU which will replace the current manual passport stamping when travellers …
Europe rolls out new entry rules for Asian travellers Read More
The Danes Worldwide golf tournament is back! In collaboration with Fredensborg Golf Club and Fredensborghusene, Danes Worldwide is reviving its prestigious golf event for current and former Danes living abroad. …
Danes Worldwide golf tournament returns to Denmark this August Read More
The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is working with the Singapore Red Cross and the Norwegian Red Cross to deliver technical and humanitarian support to communities affected by recent earthquakes …
Myanmar Red Cross collaborates with Singapore and Norway on earthquake relief Read More
The trend, transforming the photos of regular and famous people alike into realistic dolls and action figures, started a couple of years ago but gained more attention in early 2025 …
21,600 posts on TikTok with AI generated images has used energy equivalent to 19 years Netflix streaming Read More
Sweden has pledged USD 12.7 million in humanitarian assistance to support more than a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and vulnerable host communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. According to the …
Sweden boosts aid to Rohingya refugees Read More
Danish brewer Carlsberg is stepping up its efforts in Myanmar’s beer market, where international players are gaining ground amid shifting consumer preferences following the 2021 military coup. According to a …
Carlsberg expands presence in Myanmar beer market Read More
The ScandAsia magazine for April 2025 is out now. To download the issue as pdf file: Click Here You can also read the magazine online here: Read Online or Fullscreen Subscribe …
ScandAsia Magazine April 2025 Read More
Norway will host the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 from 23 to 27 June, marking the 20th anniversary of the global platform for discussions on public policy issues related …
Norway to host Internet Governance Forum 2025 in June Read More
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is enhancing its security presence in Asia with a new position as Regional Security Advisor, based at the Danish Embassy in Beijing. The role …
Denmark strengthens security efforts in Asia Read More
Three European nations have asked the Trump administration for their unspent USAID contributions to be refunded. Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands had been partnering with USAID on a project called …
Sweden, Norway ask USAID to pay back their money Read More
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today had a meeting with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to ASEAN, H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. …
Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Ambassador of Norway to ASEAN Read More
Ambassadors from Sweden, Norway and Denmark were among a group of foreign diplomats who visited the refugee camp Bhasan Char island in southern Bangladesh, where more than 23,000 Rohingya refugees …
Nordic ambassadors visit Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh Read More
Nord Anglia Education, which operates premium international schools across China and Southeast Asia (see below), is now majority owned by a Swedish-led consortium. The acquisition, valued at $14.5 billion, was …
Nord Anglia Education becomes majority Swedish-owned after $14.5 billion acquisition Read More
EuroCham Myanmar, in collaboration with the European Union Delegation to Myanmar, will host an exclusive Breakfast Session for European Heads of Mission and Trade Attachés on Friday 21 March 2025. …
EuroCham Myanmar to host breakfast session for EU Heads of Mission Read More
Bavarian Nordic, a Danish biotechnology company specializing in vaccine development, was on 28 February 2025 granted marketing authorization in the EU for their chikungunya vaccine, VIMKUNYA®. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne …
Bavarian Nordic secures EU approval for first chikungunya vaccine Read More
On January 16, representatives from the Myanmar and Denmark Red Cross societies met to enhance child-friendly centres in Myanmar. They gathered at the Myanmar Red Cross Society’s Yangon Region office …
Myanmar and Denmark Red Cross collaborate on child-friendly centres Read More
On January 6, 2025, the High Representative of the European Union, alongside the governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, and …
EU and Allies address Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar Read More
Thai authorities arrested a young couple smuggling 24 Myanmar immigrants in a 22-wheel truck in Mae Sot district, Tak province. The pair, identified as Surapich, 23, and Waraporn, 21, confessed …
Couple caught smuggling 24 Myanmar immigrants in truck Read More
On December 14, 2024, the Embassy of Sweden’s Section Office in Yangon will host “The People of 2024 Myanmar,” a special dance performance as part of the third annual Human …
Sweden’s Embassy in Yangon invites to human rights event Read More