Oslo, June 12 (AseanAll) — At the invitation of the Government of Norway and on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, undertook a working visit to Norway, from 9 to 12 June 2025.
The visit underscored the growing and multifaceted cooperation between ASEAN and Norway since the formalisation of the Sectoral Dialogue Partnership in 2015. It also reflected both sides’ shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation on sustainable ocean management and green transition, trade and investments, as well as on peace and conflict management and human rights.
While in Oslo, the Secretary-General paid a courtesy call on Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway. He also held meetings with Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with Cecilie Myrseth, Minister of Trade and Industry. The discussions touched on the deepening of ASEAN-Norway relations, trade and investment, blue economy, regional and global developments, and the importance of ASEAN as a regional consensus builder and a stabilising role in the Indo-Pacific region. The Meetings also emphasised the importance of upholding and strengthening ASEAN Centrality, rules-based international order and the importance of practical cooperation pursued through the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The Secretary-General also engaged with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) delegation at the Norwegian Parliament, took part in a roundtable discussion at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), delivered a lecture at the Centre of Geopolitics, and participated in Oslo Forum where he exchanged views with a range of stakeholders on peace, diplomacy, and regional security issues. The Secretary-General and his delegation also visited Bergen where he engaged with Norwegian businesses and institutions related to sustainable ocean management, circular economy and smart cities.
The visit demonstrated the scope and depth of ASEAN-Norway relations over the past decade and reaffirmed both sides’ mutual commitment to further strengthening the partnership. Both sides look forward to the finalisation of the ASEAN-Norway Practical Cooperation Areas (2026-2030) that is ambitious yet practical and implementable, which will serve as a framework for tangible cooperation in the years ahead.
