Norway assumes NORDEFCO chairmanship

As of 1st January 2014, Norway is the chair nation of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO).

– Our goal is to further develop the practical side of the cooperation, says Norwegian Minister of Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide.  

– We want to ensure continued progress in NORDEFCO through result-oriented, efficient and relevant cooperation, the Minister continues.    

During the chairmanship, Norway will emphasize the following objectives:

• Enhanced security policy dialogue. Further develop NORDEFCO as a forum for useful dialogue on developments and trends affecting the Nordic countries.  
• Strengthen the Nordic ability to deliver relevant military contributions to international peace operations.
• Ensure further progress on training and exercises. Extend existing cooperation on training and facilitate better coordination between Nordic, Nordic-Baltic and NATO exercise programs.
• Result-oriented approach to capability and armaments cooperation, directing  efforts and resources towards projects with the highest  potential for results.
• Strengthen cooperation on capacity building and security sector reform in post-conflict countries and young democracies, aiming to offer such contributions to NATO, UN and EU.
• Develop the dialogue between NORDEFCO and Nordic defence industry  in order to ensure timely deliveries of materiel to the armed forces and  maintain a competitive defence industrial base.
• Revitalise cooperation on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). Further develop a common  Nordic approach to  PPP through exchange of  experience and best practice between the nations and identify possible common PPP projects, in  dialogue with  industry. 

Background
The Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) was established in 2009 and reorganised in 2013. It incorporates  all bi- and multilateral cooperative activities related to security policy, operations, capability development and armaments in one single management structure on military and ministerial level. The prime objectives are improved cost-efficiency and increased operational effect. The chairmanship rotates on annual basis between Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Iceland is also member of NORDEFCO.