NordenBladet – Success for Norwegian UN campaign backed by Crown Prince Haakon! The country’s politicians are delighted and have shown their gratitude to Crown Prince Haakon who has been a high profile supporter of the country’s campaign for a place on this prestigious body.
Norway won 130 votes in the polls which took place on June 17th 2020. Along with the Republic of Ireland, with 128 votes, it was elected from the western bloc of nations with Canada failing to secure a seat. India and Mexico were also elected.
Crown Prince Haakon has taken a high profile role in the Norwegian fight for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
In 2018 the Crown Prince launched the campaign for a seat in the council in New York. Following the official announcement for the candidacy, Crown Prince Haakon visited the Hall where the Security Council has its meetings, together with representatives from a number of other countries. The hall was donated by Norway to the UN in 1952.
Due to the coronavirus crisis, Norway had to change its election campaign strategy in the last minute. The Foreign Minister and the Norwegian diplomacy have run election campaigns from their home office and over video conferencing.
On June 11, the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations was to have a big election campaign event which Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit were set to attend. The event was to be held in New York to a big cost. Instead of the grand dinner and reception His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon last week attended a digital reception for UN ambassadors on the occasion of the campaign for Norway’s candidate for UN Security Council 2021-2022.
“It is important to have an international system of rules, negotiations and constructive dialogue. Therefore, the UN is important. I have been an ambassador for the UN Development Fund (UNDP) for 14 years. Through those years I have seen how the UN works at the country level, and what good efforts the UN is doing for health, education and fighting poverty”, said the Crown Prince to the press in 2018.
Norway will sit on the UN Security Council for the period 2021 – 2022.