The High North
The High North
will be Norway’s
most important strategic priority area in the years ahead. The Government will
intensify efforts to exercise Norwegian sovereignty and to ensure the
sustainable management of the rich fish and energy resources.
The aim of our
High North policy is to protect the environment, maintain settlement patterns
and promote business development in the north.
We will
further develop our co-operation with Russia and our other partners in
the north.
The seas north
of the Norwegian mainland contain significant fossil fuel and renewable
fisheries resources. These represent enormous economic opportunities which, if
managed properly, will have great significance: regionally for the northern
part of Norway;
nationally in the form of financial and other knock-on effects; and
internationally in areas such as energy security, sustainable resource
management and conservation of the Arctic environment. Accordingly, the
Government will pursue an integrated High North policy, which takes relevant national
and international policy matters concerning the High North into account. The
Minister of Foreign Affairs is leading the effort to formulate, coordinate and
implement the Government’s active High North policy.
