Huitfeldt becomes Norway’s top woman in the US – Dagsavisen

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54-year-old Huitfeldt succeeds his namesake Anniken Ramberg Krutnes.

The post in Washington DC is considered internally by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be the most prestigious ambassadorial post one can obtain, and it has not been uncontroversial that a former politician with no diplomatic experience is appointed to the post.

– In this role, we have emphasized political experience. Huitfeldt knows Norwegian foreign policy better than most people from both the Storting and the government. She also knows the defense sector very well, having chaired the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for eight years. Her political experience is a great advantage in her job as ambassador to DC, says Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) in a press release.

At a press conference afterwards, Eide elaborated a bit on why a politician got the post, instead of a professional diplomat.

– This is something that has occasionally been done. There have been people from a number of parties who have gone from being top politicians to ambassadorial positions, because you take with you experiences that are relevant to diplomacy.

Former ministers in Washington

He mentioned, among others, Jan Petersen (ambassador in Vienna 2009-14) and Bjørn Tore Godal (Berlin 2003-07) as examples of similar appointments.

Norway has also previously had former ministers as ambassador in Washington. In 1996, former development minister Tom Vraalsen (Sp) was appointed ambassador in Washington, while former foreign minister Knut Vollebæk (KrF) was his successor and served from 2001 to 2007. The difference was that both had extensive experience in diplomacy.

Vraalsen had, among other things, been Norway’s UN ambassador for seven years and came from his job as London ambassador when he was appointed to the post in Washington. Vollebæk had both held an ambassadorial post in Costa Rica and been a peace broker in the Balkans. Other politicians, including Thorvald Stoltenberg (Ap), began their professional life in the foreign service and later alternated between politics and diplomacy.

Can open doors

A question that has arisen is whether Huitfeldt can handle the very important relationship with the United States if Donald Trump were to become president again. In relation to NTB, the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the personal qualities of his predecessor.

– I find that Anniken Huitfeldt is a very outgoing person who is good with people, used to making contacts and able to listen to what they say, and I think she will be in a very good position to move from a political role to an official role . There are some qualities that you bring with you from political work that come to use in diplomacy.

The Foreign Minister believes that her political experience will also mean that she can open doors that career diplomats cannot, and points, among other things, to conversations he has had with Australia’s Kevin Rudd. Rudd was Prime Minister of Australia 2007–2010 and 2013, and Foreign Minister in the period 2010–12. Now he is Australia’s ambassador to Washington.

Finished at the Storting from Tuesday

According to the Constitution, you cannot be a parliamentary representative at the same time as an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Huitfeldt’s announcement that she has been given a position in the ministry will be read out in the hall at the first meeting of the Storting next week, which is on Tuesday. Her deputy representative will then take over her place in the Storting.

– I wish Anniken Huitfeldt the best of luck with important tasks for Norway in a very demanding time, says Storting President Masud Gharahkhani to NRK.

Conservative leader Erna Solberg also wishes Huitfeldt the best of luck.

– It is up to the government to appoint the ambassadors they think are best suited for the various jobs, she says to NTB.

Ap-veteran

Huitfeldt had to resign as foreign minister in October last year after her husband had traded shares in several listed companies while she was foreign minister. By then she had been in the post for just over two years.

On 5 March, the Storting decided that she should be criticized for the case. A minority in the control and constitution committee wanted to give “strong criticism”.

She was a member of the central board of the Labor Party from 2002 to 2023 and has held a number of positions in the party and politics. As a Storting representative, Huitfeldt has sat on the Akershus bench since 2005.

During the Stoltenberg government, she was Minister for Children and Equality in 2008-2009, Minister for Culture in 2009-2012 and Minister for Labor in 2012-2013.

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