Norway will meet NATO's 2% guideline in 2024
Press release | Date: 14/03/2024 | Last updated: 15/03/2024 | Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance
'The security situation nationally and internationally require that we strengthen our defence now. Norway will meet NATO's 2% guideline this year. Norwegian and allied security is not to be taken for granted. We face a more dangerous and more unpredictable Russia for many years to come. Our allies are increasing investments in security and defence. So are we. We will take responsibility for our security, and we will contribute to European security', says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
A strong commitment to defence means that a larger share of public funds will be spent on our armed forces and overall resilience. With this in mind, the Government will propose extra funding for defence in the revised national budget, ensuring that Norway will meet NATO's guideline of spending two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2024. All NATO countries have since 2014 shared this ambition and now, Norway fully demonstrates our commitment. Up until now the Norwegian ambition was to reach this goal in 2026.
'The most important responsibility for the Government is to provide security for the people of Norway. With so much unrest in the world today, we must spend more of our society´s collective resources on security, defence and national readiness. We have already increased defence spendings by 40 percent since we took office, and now we are introducing new measures to reach the 2% guideline. Our commitment to increase defence spending will improve our national control and security and create jobs and activities all around Norway', says Minister of Finance, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.
'The Government has introduced a number of measures to get more effect from existing capabilities. We have invested in people and competence, upgraded infrastructure, and increased our defence spending every budget year. Soon we will present a ambitious long term plan to Parliament for a bigger and better defence. We will continue to improve our capabilities and we will invest in new', says Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram.