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Norway

Crown Prince Haakon to continue as UNDP Ambassador

On Tuesday, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway signed an agreement with the UN Development Programme, UNDP, where he is committed to continuing his efforts as a goodwill ambassador for their programme.

The Crown Prince received UNDP’s leader, Achim Steiner, in an audience at the Royal Palace on Tuesday morning. Achim Steiner took over as head of UNDP after Helen Clark in 2017. It was during this meeting the agreement was signed that extended the Crown Prince’s engagement for another two years.

Crown Prince in conversations with the head of UN Development Programme, Achim Steiner, at his office at the Palace. Photo: Liv Osmundsen / The Royal Court.

Crown Prince Haakon was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of UNDP in 2003. During the first 12 years, he worked to promote the Millennium Development Goals, which were evaluated and completed in 2015. Then, the UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The agenda seeks to eradicate poverty, fight inequality, injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. The plan is accompanied by 17 sustainability goals, and the Crown Prince is dedicated to working specifically with Objective 1, aiming at eradicating poverty.

During his time as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP, the Crown Prince has been on working trips to Liberia in 2017, East Timor in 2015, Tanzania in 2014, Zambia in 2013, Haiti in 2012, Nepal in 2011, Botswana in 2009, Mongolia in 2008, Burundi in 2007, Guatemala in 2006 and Sierra Leone in 2005.

Crown Prince Haakon signs the two-year agreement as a goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Development Programme. Photo: Liv Osmundsen / The Royal Court.

It was in 2017 that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon performed his four-day visit to Liberia. The Crown Prince visited the African nation, as he wanted to highlight the poverty issues. The Crown Prince had an eventful trip, tried to meet as many locals as possible and was welcomed by a large crowd. He was greeted by representatives from the government, but also by ordinary people who had survived the Civil War, the Ebola virus and other humanitarian disasters.

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.