Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide is set to arrive in Pakistan on August 13 for a six-day official visit, marking the first visit by a Norwegian foreign minister to the country in a decade. The visit comes at a time of renewed high-level engagement between Islamabad and Oslo, with both sides looking to deepen their long-standing bilateral relationship.
Eide is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. During his stay, the Norwegian foreign minister will hold delegation-level talks with Dar, covering a broad range of issues including trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, education and people-to-people contacts.
The two sides are also expected to exchange views on major regional and international developments, giving the visit a wider diplomatic significance. Pakistan and Norway have maintained regular high-level contacts in recent months, including telephone discussions between their foreign ministers in March and April.
The upcoming visit also follows a visit to Islamabad in May by Norway’s State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, underscoring the momentum in bilateral engagement.
Officials in Islamabad say the visit provides an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding and cordial relationship between Pakistan and Norway, while identifying new areas of cooperation. For Pakistan, the talks could help expand economic and energy partnerships with a European country, while Norway is expected to focus on trade, climate cooperation and broader regional issues.
The visit is therefore being closely watched as both countries seek to translate renewed diplomatic engagement into practical cooperation and a stronger bilateral partnership.
