News

Moody´s publishes annual credit analysis on Iceland – rating unchanged at A3 with a positive outlook

Today, international rating agency Moody´s Investors Service published an annual credit analysis. The analysis does not entail a rating revision and Iceland’s sovereign rating remains at A3 with a positive outlook.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on 24 June 2019

Meeting held at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Prime Minister‘s VNR address at HLPF 2019 in New York

Iceland´s resolution on the situation in the Philippines approved in the UN Human Rights Council

The UN Human Rights Council today passed a resolution, tabled by Iceland, on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines.…

Address at the conference Safety & Protection of Journalists II: Towards a Shared Solution

Vatnajökull National Park added to UNESCO‘s World Heritage List

Vatnajökull National Parks has been inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. The decision, which was taken at a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan last Friday, confirms that the natural environment of the Park and the Nature Reserve at Lónsöræfi have a unique value to humankind.

Tvíhliða samráð Íslands og Bretlands

Í gær fór fram í London reglubundið tvíhliða samráð íslenskra og breskra stjórnvalda um alþjóða- og öryggismál.

Óformlegur ráðherrafundur ÖSE í Slóvakíu.

Átakavarnir og styrking þeirra í framtíðarstarfi Öryggis- og samvinnustofnunar Evrópu (ÖSE) voru meginviðfangsefni óformlegs ráðherrafundar stofnunarinnar, sem haldinn var Tatra-fjöllum í Slóvakíu 9. júlí. Guðni Bragason, fastafulltrúi Íslands hjá ÖSE í Vínarborg, sat fundinn fyrir hönd Guðlaugs Þórs Þórðarsonar utanríkisráðherra.

Árleg öryggismálaráðstefna ÖSE, 25.-27. júní 2019, Hofburg Vín.

Government accounts 2018 – Robust Treasury position

The results of the Government accounts for 2018 have now been published and the accounts sent to Parliament. The accounts show a surplus of ISK 84bn, as compared with a surplus of ISK 39bn in 2017. The results show clearly Iceland’s strong fiscal position.

Trade dialogue with the United States

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) and an interagency delegation from Iceland led by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs convened in Reykjavík on June 27, 2019, for a trade dialogue.

The Second Meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2019

The Financial Stability Council held its second meeting of the year 2019 on Monday 24 June

Iceland supports campaign for equal rights of LGBTI+ people

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, has decided to donate USD 100,000 in funding to Free & Equal, the UN public information campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTI+ people.

First meeting of Iceland's Arctic Council Chairmanship in Reykjanesbær

Iceland took over the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council in early May. The first Senior Arctic Official’s (SAO) executive meeting under the Icelandic Chairmanship was held on 18-19 June in Reykjanesbær, Iceland.

Iceland's Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Speech at Reykjavík meeting with EU ambassadors

Declaration of Intent of the Government, Heavy Industry and Reykjavik Energy on the Capture and Sequestration of Carbon

Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Tourism, Industry and Innovation, Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister for Education, Science and Culture, and the Managing Directors/Representatives of Reykjavík Energy, Elkem, Alcoa Fjarðaál, Rio Tinto Iceland and Norðurál today…

Prime Minister's address at the 75th anniversary of the Republic of Iceland

Republic of Iceland issues a new Eurobond at the lowest yields in the Republic´s history

The Republic of Iceland has today concluded agreements on issuance of bonds totalling EUR 500 million, or the equivalent of ISK 71 billion.

Phone call between the Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Turkey

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson spoke today with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, regarding the arrival of the Turkish National Football Team in Keflavik International Airport on 9 June.

Öryggissamvinnuvettvangurinn (FSC) ræðir ályktun 1325 um konur, frið og öryggi.

Statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs can confirm that it has been in a communication with the Turkish authorities regarding the arrival of the Turkish National Football Team to Keflavik International Airport on Sunday evening. The Ministry has been informed by the Icelandic Transportation Authority (Isavia) that the security check followed required procedures.

Republic of Iceland launches a cash tender offer and announces intention to issue new notes

The Republic of Iceland (the Offeror) announces today an invitation to holders of its outstanding €750,000,000 2.50 per cent. Notes due 15 July 2020 (ISIN: XS1086879167) to tender their Notes for purchase by the Offeror for cash, as described in the attached Launch Announcement.

Minningarguðsþjónusta um dr. Cornelíu Schubrig aðalræðismann.

Minningarguðsþjónusta um dr. Cornelíu Schubrig aðalræðismann Íslands í Vínarborg, var haldin mánudaginn 3. júní í Krems við Dóná, en hún lést á páskadag, 97 ára að aldri. Starfsfólk fastanefndarinnar í Vín sótti guðsþjónustuna, ásamt allnokkrum Íslendingum í borginni.

Öryggissamvinnuvettvangurinn (FSC) ræðir ályktun 1325 um konur, frið og öryggi.

Heimsmarkmiðin hafa mikla þýðingu fyrir öryggi á ÖSE-svæðinu.

Heimsmarkmiðin hafa mikla þýðingu fyrir öryggi á ÖSE-svæðinu.

Revised fiscal policy statement: Positive overall balance for the general government is assured

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs has submitted to Parliament a resolution on a revised Fiscal Policy Statement for 2018-2022.

Iceland to address the spread of antibiotic resistance

Today, the Government of Iceland launched an action plan aiming to curb the spread of antibiotic resistance. By implementing this action plan, Iceland intends to be at the forefront of addressing this serious threat to global health.

Iceland awarded the Womenomics Honorary Award

Iceland has been awarded the Womenomics Honorary Award for its contribution to gender equality. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, received the award for Iceland’s position as the global front-runner when it comes to gender equality, during the international business conference The Womenomics Nordic Business Conference.

Orka og jarðvarmi til umræðu á fundi Efnahags- og umhverfisvíddar ÖSE í Bratislava, 27. mai 2019.

Ísland styður verkefni um “grænar” hafnir við Kaspíahafið í samvinnu við ÖSE.

Orka og jarðvarmi til umræðu á fundi Efnahags- og umhverfisvíddar ÖSE í Bratislava, 27. mai 2019.

Fitch ratings upgrades Iceland´s ST ratings to F1+; affirms LT ratings at A stable

Today Fitch ratings has published a new report on Iceland´s sovereign ratings. Iceland´s Short-Term (ST) foreign- and local currency ratings are upgraded to F1+ from F1, in line with the agency´s publication from 3rd of May. Iceland´s Long-Term (LT) ratings are affirmed at A with stable outlooks.…

Opening Address at the seminar "Doing Business in the Arctic"

Annual Report: Foreign Affairs 2019

An English excerpt of Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson‘s report on Foreign Affairs is now available. The Minister presented the report to the Althingi Parliament in late April. The entire report can be found here (only in Icelandic).

Foreign Affairs: Excerpt from the Report of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland to the Parliament 2019

Foreign Affairs: Excerpt from the Report of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland to the Parliament 2019

Moody´s publishes credit opinion on Iceland – rating unchanged at A3 with a positive outlook

Today, international rating agency Moody´s Investors Service published an updated credit opinion. The opinion does not entail a rating revision and Iceland’s sovereign rating remains at A3 with a positive outlook.

Fastanefnd Íslands hjá alþjóðastofnunum í Vínarborg styður alþjóðadega gegn andúð á samkynhneigðum og transfólki (IDAHOTB), 17. maí 2019.

S&P Global Ratings affirms Iceland’s sovereign ratings at A/A-1 with a stable outlook

International rating agency S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Iceland’s sovereign ratings at A/A-1 with a stable outlook. The rating agency assumes a recession in 2019 due to declining tourist arrivals, and that current account balance will swing into a deficit this year, but return to growth thereafter.

Statement at 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe

Yfirlýsing á alþjóðadegi gegn fordómum gagnvart hinsegin fólki.

Fastanefnd Íslands hjá alþjóðastofnunum í Vínarborg veitti alþjóðadegi gegn fordómum gagnvart hinsegin fólki (IDAHOTB) í dag, 17. maí, góðan stuðning.

Hryðjuverkavarnir til umræðu í viðræðum um takmörkun vígbúnaðar.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on April 1st 2019

Meeting held at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Iceland assumes Chairmanship of the Arctic Council

Iceland has assumed the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council and will lead the Council for two years. This morning, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Guðlaugur Thór Thórdarson, received the gavel from his Finnish counterpart at the Rovaniemi Ministerial Meeting in Finland.

Statement at the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Rovaniemi

Stöðugleikahvetjandi aðgerðir til umræðu í ÖSE viðræðum um takmörkun vígbúnar (Structured Dialogue).

Hryðjuverkavarnir til umræðu í viðræðum um takmörkun vígbúnaðar.

Stöðugleikahvetjandi aðgerðir til umræðu í ÖSE viðræðum um takmörkun vígbúnar (Structured Dialogue).

Fitch places Iceland´s Short-Term Ratings Under Criteria Observation in line with revised criteria

Fitch ratings published a commentary today stating that short-term ratings of Iceland in foreign and local currency, have been placed Under Criteria Observation (UCO) with the possibility of an upgrade.