Welcoming Remarks

Ms. Erna Solberg

Prime Minister of Norway

Erna Solberg is the Prime Minister of Norway and has led the Conservative Party since 2004.  During the recent Parliamentary period she was member of the Standing Committee on Health and Care Services Affairs, the Standing Committee on Foreign and Defence Affairs and the Electoral Committee, 08.10.2009 - 30.09.2013. She has previously been a member of standing committees on i.a. Finance and Local Government, and head of the Storting's delegation to NATO's Parliamentary Assembly.

Erik Solheim

Chair of OECD Development Assistance Committee and the Executive Director Elect UN Environment

Erik Solheim is the Chair of OECD Development Assistance Committee and the Executive Director Elect UN Environment. In the DAC he has emphasized reform of Official Development Assistance, focusing more assistance to the least developed countries and using assistance "smarter" in blending with private investment and supporting domestic resource mobilization through better taxation. Erik Solheim is also serving as United Nations Environment Programme’s special envoy for environment, conflict and disaster. From 2007 to 2012 he held the combined portfolio of Norway’s Minister of the Environment and International Development; he also served as Minister of International Development from 2005 to 2007.

Jon Lomøy

Director General, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)

Jon Lomøy is the Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) since November 2015. Mr. Lomøy came to Norad after 5 years as Director of the OECD Development Cooperation Directorate. As Ambassador of Norway to Tanzania from 2007 to 2010, Mr. Lomøy managed one of Norway’s largest bilateral aid programs, with a particular focus on translating global policy initiatives – such as climate change, UN reform and the Partnership for Reduced Maternal and Child Mortality – to country-level activities.