Services Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Services Department is responsible for ensuring that the Ministry provides a range of professional services, including in the area of consular affairs. It seeks to ensure a high level of security and preparedness in the event of crises and disasters. It is responsible for ensuring that employees at the missions abroad and in the Ministry in Oslo have the physical working conditions and the equipment they need for carrying out their tasks.

The department is headed by Director General Laila Brandt Jakhelln.

The department consists of the following sections

  • Section for Security and Emergency Preparedness

    The Section for Security and Emergency Preparedness sets the parameters for, gives advice on, and monitors the Foreign Service’s work on risk management and efforts to deal with security risks, threats and incidents. This includes responsibility for ensuring that security management is effective, necessary risk analyses are carried out on a regular basis, and that plans and instructions are developed, implemented and updated. The Section also ensures that security issues are taken into account in connection with new initiatives, solutions and projects, and that security exercises are carried out regularly.

  • Section for Property Management

    The section is divided in Unit for General Services and Unit for Property Project Management.

  • ICT Section

  • Section for Records Management

    The section is responsible for information and records management in the Ministry and at the diplomatic and consular missions. We help the general public to access information and records. We are also working on the transfer of paper records to the National Archives of Norway.

  • Data and Analytics Section

    The section is responsible for the management and governance of information created by the Foreign Service. This includes designing the strategies, architecture, and guidelines that define how information and data are developed and utilized across organizational boundaries and technological platforms. The goal is improved efficiency and transparency; giving employees secure access to whatever information is relevant to the job at hand.

  • Foreign Service Response Centre