News

Respect for human rights essential when rebuilding Afghanistan.

Iceland reaffirms its support to international assistance to Afghanistan at an international conference in the Hague.

Foreign Ministers of Iceland and UK meet in London

The Icelandic Foreign Minister, Mr Ossur Skarphedinsson, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr David Miliband MP, met in London on 31 March 2009

Increased cooperation in promoting Iceland and Icelandic products

Cooperation Agreement between the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Icelandic Tourist Board and the Trade Council of Iceland on <em>Promote Iceland</em>

Report on Nordic Development and Humanitarian Programmes

A report on Nordic development and humanitarian programmes in Afghanistan has been published

Cooperation in the High North on the agenda during Defence Minister Gade's visit

Absentee voting for Parliamentary elections begins

Absentee voting for the 25 April Parliamentary elections in Iceland will begin on Monday, 16 March 2009.

A Risk Assessment for Iceland

Professor Valur Ingimundarson, Chairman of the interdisciplinary Commission for a Risk Assessment for Iceland, today delivered the Commission&#39;s report to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphéðinsson.

Seminar on Security Prospects in the High North, Reykjavík 29 January 2009

NATO and the Government of Iceland organized the seminar to discuss the challenges in the High North. The participants agreed that the confrontation of the Cold War belongs to the past and nations now face a completely new security environment.

Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Albania meet

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphedinsson, met with the Foreign Minister of Albania, Lulzim Basha, on February 12 during his visit to Iceland to discuss NATO&rsquo;s enlargement process as well as energy issues.

Iceland invites the OSCE to observe elections

<p>The Icelandic delegation to OSCE, in Vienna, has invited the organization to observe the early, parliamentary elections, planned for this spring.</p>

Icelandic Foreign Minister interviewed by David Frost

Össur Skarphéðinsson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, talked about the Icelandic economy, European issues and fisheries with David Frost on the television station Al Jazeera.

Stoltenberg Report presented to Nordic Foreign Ministers

Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs today received, on behalf of his Nordic colleagues, a report by Thorvald Stoltenberg, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence of Norway

Government of Iceland contributes 150 million ISK to UNICEF

<p>Children are often those that are the most disadvantaged. It is very important to continue to address the acute problems that children are confronted with, even if so many countries are now struggling with the consequence of the global financial crisis.</p> <br> <br>

Newsletter from Washington D.C.

<p>Mr. Hjálmar W. Hannesson is the new Ambassador of Iceland to the United States. Mr. Hannesson presented his credentials to President George W. Bush on January 8, 2009.</p> <br> <br>

Newsletter from London

New Minister for Foreign Affairs

<p>A new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ossur Skarphedinsson, took office yesterday, replacing Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir,</p> <p></p>

Political advisor to the Minister

Kristján Guy Burgess has been appointed political advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs

Newsletter from Berlin

Security Prospects in the High North

<p>Important changes are under way in the High North which will have a broad impact on international affairs. The Government of Iceland is organising, jointly with NATO, a seminar in Reykjavík on 29 January 2009 to discuss current and future strategic implications of the developments in the High North.</p>

Iceland's coalition government resigns

<p>Iceland's Prime Minister, Geir H. Haarde, announced today the resignation of the coalition government of the Independence Party and the Social Democratic Alliance.</p>

Iceland's Foreign Minister returns

<p>Doctors in Stockholm confirmed this morning that the minister's brain tumour is benign.</p>

Minister's absence extended

The medical treatment of Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, in Stockholm has been extended

U.S. and Iceland sign a Trade and Investment Cooperation Agreement

The Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East, Christopher S. Wilson, and the acting Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Össur Skarphéðinsson, today signed in Reykjavik a U.S.-Iceland Trade and Investment Cooperation Agreement.

Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians

The situation in Gaza is unacceptable- Statement before the Security Council of the UN

Statement Concerning Legal Proceedings Against UK Authorities

The government of Iceland has decided to examine any and all possibilities of Iceland seeking redress before the European Court of Human Rights for the application by UK authorities of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 against Landsbanki last year.

Minister's absence due to treatment

Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, will undergo radiation therapy at the Karolinska hospital in Stockholm next week.

Iceland&#39;s Foreign Minister supports IWC appeal of an immediate stop to military action in Gaza

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, and honorary member of the International Women&#39;s Commission (IWC) for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian-Israeli Peace, encourages attention to the situation in Gaza.

Icelandic Art in Berlin

In January there are several opportunities to see Icelandic art and artists in Berlin in Germany.

Just and peaceful resolution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict essential for peace

Respect for human rights must be reinstated in Zimbabwe

<p>In a joint statement the Nordic Foreign Ministers state that the misrule of Robert Mubabe must come to an end and respect for human rights reinstated in Zimbabwe.</p>

500 gather in London for Icelandic Independence celebration

Over 500 Icelanders and their friends attended a cultural evening celebrating the 90th anniversary of Independence of Iceland on 1 December.

Commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations paid a particular tribute to human rights defenders in all regions of the world in a statement Iceland made on behalf of the Nordic Countries.

Minister for Foreign Affaris addresses OSCE's Ministerial Council

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, attended the OSCE Ministerial Council in Helsinki and held bilateral meetings

Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing Conference

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland encouraged countries to ratify the Convention and work on getting as many other countries as possible on board as Parties.

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs signs the international convention banning cluster munitions in Norway

<p></p> <p>Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrún Gisladottir said that the convention offered new hope for the thousands who are threatened by the existence of cluster munitions</p> <p></p>

New Rules on Foreign Exchange

<p>The Central Bank of Iceland has issued new Rules on Foreign Exchange. The issuance is based on the authority contained in the Act amending the Foreign Exchange Act of 1992.</p> <br> <br>

International Monetary Fund approves Iceland's request for a two year stand-by arrangement

<p>Iceland will receive USD 2.1 bn. from the IMF. Additional loans of up to USD 3 bn. have been secured from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Poland. The Faroe Islands have announced that they would lend Iceland USD 50 million.</p> <br> <br>

Iceland Festival-Les Boreales in France

The Icelandic band Sigur Ros, the Hamrahlid Choir, an art exhibition by Erro, the Iceland Dance Company and the former President of Iceland, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, are among those that participated in the festival "Les Boréales" 17-30 of November.

Letter of Intent to the IMF

The government of Iceland has made public the <a href="/media/utanrikisraduneyti-media/media/Frettatilkynning/LetterofIntent.pdf">letter of intent</a> sent to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on November 3, 2008.

Agreed Guidelines Reached on Deposit Guarantees

Significant progress has been made towards solving the differences on the interpretation of legal obligations with respect to deposit guarantees in the European Economic Area.

Small Island Developing States

Dr. Gunnar Pálsson Ambassador-Designate of Iceland to Mauritius adress at "Doing Business 2009, Small Islands Developing States Report Launch Workshop" at Port Louis, Mauritius, November 12, 2008.

Commemorative meeting for the sixtieth anniversary of peacekeeping

<p align=justify>Statement by Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations, on behalf of the Western European and Others Group (WEOG).</p>

From the Central Bank of Iceland

Payment intermediation to and from the United Kingdom is proceeding much more smoothly than before. However, it is important to bear in mind that payments generally take a longer time to reach their destination than they did before problems developed roughly a month ago. <br>

Icelandic Chamber of Commerce: The Icelandic Economic Situation: Status Report - 24th October 2008

The current economic turmoil in Iceland is part of a complex global financial crisis and is by no means an isolated event.Thus far, Iceland has been hit particularly hard by this unprecedented financial storm due to the large size of the banking sector in comparison to the overall economy.

The Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Norway met in Iceland to discuss economic issues and sign an Agreement on hydrocarbon deposits

<p>The two Ministers discussed several topics. Among them, the current economic situation in Iceland, Norwegian assistance in the form of credit facilities and the forthcoming investigation of events that lead to the bank crisis.</p>

Open debate in the Security Council on Women, Peace and Security

<p align=justify>Iceland stated that it is of the view that equal participation of women in peace processes are fundamental for achieving, maintaining and promoting sustainable peace and security </p>

The Hamrahlid Choir to visit France

The Icelandic Hamrahlid Choir will tour France 15-22 November. The conductor is Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir. The choir will perform in Paris, Strasburg and Caen.

Icelandic photography in Berlin

The photos of Ragnar Axelsson (Rax) tell stories of survival in a harsh environment. His focus is on ordinary people in remote areas of Iceland, the Fareo Islands and Greenland.

Promotion and protection of the rights of children

<p></p> <p align=justify>Iceland urges the prohibition of all forms of violence against children, including all corporal punishment. No form of violence against children can be justified and we must prevent, eliminate and respond to all violence against children. </p>