The Norwegian and the French Ministers of Health smiling to the camera during the signing of the declaration.
The Norwegian and the French Ministers of Health signed the declaration Monday February 2. Credit: Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services

'I am delighted to welcome Minister Jan Christian Vestre to Paris on the occasion of the signing of this Declaration of Intent. It reflects the strong and shared commitment of France and Norway to strengthening cooperation in health, based on common priorities such as mental health, and values such as equity of access to care, prevention and evidence-based public policies. In a context marked by major health, environmental and geopolitical challenges, this partnership provides a concrete framework to deepen our dialogue and develop joint initiatives at European and international level,' says Minister Stéphanie Rist.

'I am excited that France and Norway have agreed to strengthen our cooperation on health matters. The public health challenges of our time cannot be overcome working in isolation. France and Norway are both resourceful countries with much to gain from working together on key issues, such as tackling pressures from demographic changes on our health systems, improving mental health especially among young people, and promoting cooperation within the European health industry,' says Minister Jan Christian Vestre.

The two countries decided to include several fields of cooperation in the declaration.

'France has a particular interest in strengthening cooperation on health promotion and prevention, including mental health, the prevention of non-communicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular and rare diseases), and the protection of children and young people, as well as on health preparedness and innovation. Health preparedness is a key area mentioned in the declaration. Covid 19 showed that pandemics can only be dealt with through international cooperation, not least among European countries given their close interconnectedness. Since then, serious new realities have also dawned upon Europe,' says Minister Rist

'The risk of new pandemics, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine and the serious geopolitical situation, makes it necessary for Europe to collaborate and stand together also on health preparedness and response. I look forward to cooperating closely with France, who is a leader in European efforts to improve our joint preparedness and already strongly involved in supporting Ukraine,' says Minister Vestre.

The signing of this Declaration of Intent follows the visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Norway in 2025, which highlighted the strong political momentum in Franco-Norwegian relations and the shared ambition to deepen cooperation, including in the field of health.

The two ministries will now develop concrete bilateral actions and dialog with actors from the health industry and research to implement the partnership.