World Trade Center of Utah to Host Norwegian Ambassador
In 2008, United States exports to Norway reached almost $8 million. To further develop the relationship and educate Utah companies about doing business in Norway, World Trade Center Utah will host Wegger Christian Strommen, Ambassador of Norway to the United States, at noon on Thursday, April 23rd at the Salt Lake Chamber.
"World Trade Center Utah honors the affiliation between the United States and Norway," said Lew Cramer, president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah. "Our profitable contributions to the global economy are built from a successful partnership. It is a privilege to welcome-for the first time-Ambassador Strommen to our great state."
Wegger Christian Strommen has a distinguished career in the Norwegian Foreign Service including positions as Deputy Foreign Minister and representing Norway in the United Nations Security Council. "I have always believed that a common denominator for Norwegians and Americans is our willingness to pull together to help our neighbors," said Ambassador Strommen.
Since the end of the Cold War, Norway has developed a model to foreign policy known as the "Norwegian model," the goal of which is to contribute to peace and stability through coordinated response among governmental and non-governmental Norwegian organizations, to act as an honest broker in international conflicts and take the comprehensive view in international issues and business.
Ambassador Strommen previously served as Norway's permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, deputy permanent representative of Norway's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, as well as deputy permanent representative to the U.N. Security Council and chairman of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations.
Ambassador Strommen, who joined the Norwegian Diplomatic Service in 1984, received a master's of law degree from the University of Oslo Law School and has practiced law as a judge and as an attorney. He has lectured on international law at Harvard, Columbia, New York University, the University of Bergen and University of Oslo and is the author of articles on international law, constitutional law and human rights. Ambassador Strommen's law background includes serving as legal advisor to the co-chairman of the European Union-United Nations International Conference on the former Yugoslavia.
