Gunn Jorid Roset started her job as head of Norway’s development agency on August 18, warning that Norwegian aid matters more now as other countries slash their development budgets, according to Norad. She said global needs keep growing while funding shrinks, making every Norwegian krone more valuable. Roset now runs an agency that handles everything from long-term development projects to emergency aid, including help for Ukraine through the Nansen Programme.
Most donor countries are tightening their belts and cutting aid spending because of economic troubles at home. Norway’s decision to keep funding development work puts more pressure on the country to fill gaps left by others.
Roset knows development work inside and out after 27 years at the Foreign Ministry. She worked in Latvia, South Africa, and Malaysia, where she was Norway’s ambassador. Before joining Norad, she ran the ministry’s multilateral department, dealing with UN policy and development banks. “Aid is first and foremost about fighting poverty and ensuring sustainable development,” she said. “It is an investment in our shared welfare.” She added that helping other countries prosper makes the world safer and more predictable for Norway too.
The 51-year-old takes over an agency that went through big changes recently. She wants to keep working with aid groups, international organizations, and businesses while pushing toward the UN development goals by 2030. Roset gets a six-year contract and replaces Lisetta Trebbi, who ran things temporarily since June.
