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Expert committee to advise on Norway's efforts for global health

Røde Kors, Kirkens Nødhjelp, Redd Barna, UNICEF Norge, Civita, Tankesmien Agenda og Langsikt.
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Norwegian humanitarian and development organizations and think tanks are joining forces to set up a committee to make recommendations for Norway's global health efforts in the years ahead. Norway has played a leading role in global health cooperation in recent decades. It needs to be continued, the principals believe. Camilla Stoltenberg will be the head of the new committee.

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“Global health is about solidarity and aid, but increasingly also about Norwegian security and self-interest. This was clear evidence of the pandemic, and it must be reflected in how Norway invests in global health going forward, says the chair of the committee, Camilla Stoltenberg.

The principals are seven emergency relief and development organizations and think tanks: Red Cross, Church Emergency Aid, Save the Children, UNICEF Norway, Civita, Thought Forge Agenda and Long Term.

The committee consists of eleven people, including Camilla Stoltenberg, CEO of the research institute NORCE and former director of the Institute of Public Health. Stoltenberg joins some of Norway's foremost experts in global health, health policy and international development.

For more than 25 years, Norway has been a driving force and a key player in global health, and has among other things contributed to the establishment of several international health-related mechanisms, initiatives and organizations, which have yielded significant results. Since the year 2000 is child mortality globally halved.

Covid19 marked a step back. The pandemic, as well as increased geopolitical tension, nationalism and more visible climate change, has led several rich countries to cut their allocations to global health. In addition, poor countries are hit by increasing spending on servicing debts.

The mandate of the Committee of Experts is to describe the biggest challenges and opportunities in global health up to 2050, and how Norway can best contribute internationally, both economically and politically. They must take into account both global development and Norway's own interests. As part of the assignment, the committee will assess what Norway has the best conditions to contribute. 

The committee will submit a report at the end of October 2024.

“Norway has had a leadership role in global health for decades. It has contributed to historical progress. Now is not the time to reduce efforts, but, on the contrary, to strengthen investments in global health so that everyone in the world can have their basic health rights covered, the Commissioners believe.

  • Anne Bergh, Secretary General of the Red Cross
  • Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary General of the Church Emergency Services
  • Henriette Westhrin, Secretary General of Save the Children
  • Maria Greenberg Bergheim, Secretary General of UNICEF Norway
  • Kristin Clemet, head of Civita
  • Trygve Svensson, Head of Thinksmien Agenda
  • Eirik Mofoss, Head of Long Term

The selection consists of:

  • Camilla Stoltenberg, CEO of the research institute NORCE
  • Bent Hoie, State Administrator of Rogaland
  • John-Arne Roettingen, CEO of Wellcome Trust
  • Karoline M. Linde, CEO of Laerdal Global Health
  • Ole Frithjof Norheim, Professor at the Department of Global Health and Community Medicine at UiB, and Chair of BCEPS
  • Anne-Marie HellandDirector of International Development at PwC
  • Lumbwe Chola, Associate Professor at the Department of Health Management and Health Economics at UiO
  • Usman A. Mushtaq, doctor and entrepreneur
  • Amanda Hylland Dampers, medical student and head of the Norwegian People's Aid Solidaritetsungdom
  • Ottar Maestad, Director of the Development Learning Lab (DLL) at CMI
  • Trygve Ottersen, Acting Deputy Director of the Directorate of Medical Products (DMP) and Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Global Health at UiO

Contact person: Eirik Mofoss, Managing director of Langsikt eirik@langsikt.no

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