With globalization and ensuing cross-cutting linkages between various issue-areas, health is becoming a major foreign policy issue in an increasing number of states, including Norway.

Today international health issues are closely linked to security, trade as well as environmental issues like climate change. States are to varying degrees affected by these developments, like pandemics. However, states may also seek to actively pursue and affect the evolving agenda. Norway is playing an active part here.

Norway was instrumental in establishing the 'Oslo Ministerial Group' (OMG) in 2006, together with seven other countries. An explicit goal is to get health higher on the international agenda and it has been quite successful. Although the WHO is still the main health arena, a number of new international institutions have been established. The goal of this project is both to study the formation of these institutions as well as their effectiveness. Institutional design as well as relations between science and policy is important. The role of Norway is given particular emphasis.

Project period: 2010-2011