Change of state secretary in UD

In today’s session of the Council of State the King has appointed Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen (38), first embassy secretary, Pretoria, as state secretary to Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim. He will succeed Ms. Anne Margareth Fagertun Stenhammer, who has been honourably discharged from the post in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The time of the change will be decided by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen comes from the post as first secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria in South Africa. He has been in the Foreign Service since 1997, among other posts as embassy secretary in Damascus and advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo. Mr. Gulbrandsen holds a law degree from the University of Tromsø in 1995. He has formerly been member of the national board of the Socialist Left Party, member of the municipal council in Halden and deputy member of the Storting for the Socialist Left Party in the County of Østfold.

The Government represents the Labour Party (Lab.), the Socialist Left Party (Soc.) and the Centre Party (Cent.). The list of state secretaries now is as follows:

To Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Lab.)
Mr. Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen (Lab.)
Ms. Kjersti Markusson (Soc.)
Ms. Hege Solbakken (Cent.)
Mr. Svein Fjellheim (Lab.)
Mr. Morten Wetland (Lab.)
Mr. Torbjørn Giæver Eriksen (Lab.)
Ms. Rita Skjærvik (Lab.)
Ms. Hilde Singsaas (Lab.) 

To Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen (Soc.)
Mr. Roger Schjerva (Soc.)
Mr. Geir Axelsen (Lab.)
Mr. Ole Morten Geving (Cent.)
Mr. Roger Østlie Sandum (Soc.)
Ms. Henriette Westhrin (Soc.)

To Minister of Petroleum and Energy Åslaug Haga (Cent.)
Ms. Guri Størvold (Cent.)
Ms. Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt (Cent.)

To Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab.)
Mr. Raymond Johansen (Lab.)
Ms. Elisabeth Walaas (Lab.)

To Minister of Research and Higher Education Tora Aasland (Soc.)
Mr. Jens Revold (Soc.)

To Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa  (Cent.)
Mr. Dag-Henrik Sandbakken (Cent.)
Ms. Janne Sjelmo Nordås (Cent.)

To Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab.)
Mr. Espen Barth Eide (Lab.) 

To Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim (Soc.)
Ms. Henriette Westhrin (Soc.) – environment affairs
Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen (Soc.) – international development affairs

To Minister of Trade and Industry Dag Terje Andersen (Lab.)
Mr. Frode Berge (Lab.)
Ms. Rikke Lind (Lab.)

To Minister of Transport and Communications Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)
Mr. Steinulf Tungesvik (Cent.)
Mr. Erik Lahnstein (Cent.)

To Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Bjarne Håkon Hanssen (Lab.)
Mr. Jan-Erik Støstad (Lab.)
Ms. Libe S. Rieber-Mohn (Lab.)
Ms. Laila Gustavsen (Lab.)
Mr. Raimo Valle (Lab.)

To Minister of Children and Equality Manuela Ramin-Osmundsen (Lab.)
Mr. Kjell Erik Øie (Lab.)

To Minister of Justice and the Police Knut Storberget (Lab.)
Mr. Terje Moland Pedersen (Lab.)
Ms. Astri Aas-Hansen (Lab.)

To Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske (Lab.)
Ms. Randi Øverland (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.)

To Minister of Health and Care Services Sylvia Brustad (Lab.)
Ms. Rigmor Aasrud (Lab.)
Mr. Wegard Harsvik (Lab.)
Mr. Arvid Libak (Lab.)

To Minister of Government Administration and Reform Heidi Grande Røys (Soc.)
Ms. Wenche Lyngholm (Soc.)

To Minister of Agriculture and Food Terje Riis-Johansen (Cent.)
Mr. Ola T. Heggem (Cent.)

To Minister of Education Bård Vegard Solhjell (Soc.)
Ms. Lisbet Rugtvedt (Soc.)

To Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen (Lab.)
Mr. Vidar Ulriksen (Lab.)