Section for Development Policy and Multilateral Development Banks

The Section for Development Policy and Multilateral Development Banks is responsible for the overall coordination and further development of Norwegian development policy. The Section is responsible for Norway’s work with multilateral development banks and Norwegian debt policy. The Section’s various areas of responsibility provide a good basis for viewing development policy in a relevant geopolitical context. The Section also has responsibility for tasks relating to the budget, annual work plan processes, administration of subordinate agencies and other tasks that cut across the Department’s five sections.

Development policy analysis and research cooperation are a key priority in the Section’s work. The Section has overall responsibility for inter-ministerial cooperation on the Knowledge Bank and responsibility for Norway’s participation in the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), where Norway contributes to developing the rules on official development assistance (ODA). The Section is also responsible for Norway’s participation in multilateral and bilateral development policy dialogue processes and coordinates Norway’s role as a G20 guest country, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.

The Section is responsible for Norway’s cooperation with the World Bank and the regional development banks, i.e. the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), as well as for coordinating European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) issues. The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) is also included in the portfolio.

The Section is the Ministry’s point of contact for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Responsibility for Norwegian debt policy includes tasks related to responsible lending and borrowing, and the Section represents Norway in the Paris Club.