On 31 October 2023, H.E. Ms. Vimolbajra Ruksakiati, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway, together with Ambassadors from ASEAN countries in Norway, namely H.E. Mr. Enrico T. Fos, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Norway and the current Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Oslo (ACO), H.E. Ms. Maw Maw, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Norway, H.E. Mr. Dinh Nho Hung, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Norway, and H.E. Dr. Teuku Faizasyah, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Norway, as the ASEAN Committee in Oslo (ACO), had an informal exchange of views with H.E. Mr. Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, the State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway (appointed on 11 August 2023).
Representatives from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended the meeting, including Mr. Jens F. Reinertsen, Deputy Director, Section for East Asia and Oceania, Department for Regional Affairs, Ms. Hanne T. Tilrem, Senior Advisor and Desk Officer for Vietnam, Laos, and the ASEAN-coordinator in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Joar L. Strand, Senior Advisor and Desk Officer for Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, Ms. Giske Lillehammer, Special Representative for Myanmar, and Ms. Birgitte Elise Sylthe, Senior Adviser and Desk Officer for Thailand.
The meeting was very constructive and substantive. Issues of discussion are wide-ranging including ASEAN-Norway cooperation, Indo-Pacific strategy, and cooperation on green transition. State Secretary H.E. Mr. Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik expressed his views of ASEAN as “liked-minded countries” with Norway, especially on multilateralism and in playing important roles as interlocutors to prevent conflict between global North/ South conflicts.