CP Haakon as United Nation's Development Programme (UNDP) Ambassador

[Josefine]

www.aftenposten.no

Crown prince backs anti-poverty cause

Crown Prince Haakon has agreed to become a so-called "goodwill ambassador" for the United Nations' Development Program (UNDP). The goal is to fight poverty worldwide.

Mark Malloch Brown, who leads the UN program, said he was glad to have Norway's crown prince on board.

"Norway has for many years shown special leadership within development aid," he said, adding that celebrity ambassadors inspire others and put a human face on the effort.

Crown Prince Haakon said he looked forward to put the spotlight on poverty issues both in Norway and internationally.

"I hope I can devote more time to this over the next year," he said, adding that he'd first like to become more acquainted with what UNDP is doing. Then he'd like to travel to see some of the projects it's sponsoring.

The crown prince was the keynote speaker at an anti-poverty conference in Oslo on Thursday. He stressed that poverty breeds sickness, terror and violence.

He said he'd like to focus on health and education programs during his year as goodwill ambassador.

 

[Dennism]

Haakon's trip to Tanzania

Aftenposten

Crown Prince Haakon's trip to Tanzania got off to a remarkably rocky start on Tuesday as the visit was dogged by a series of unfortunate developments. The royal baggage went missing, the president had to leave town and a university was canceled due to rioting, newspaper VG reported.

"Most of what could go wrong, went wrong," Inge Herman Rydland at the Norwegian embassy in Tanzania told the newspaper.

A meeting with Tanzania's president Benjamin William Mkapa had to be canceled when Mkapa had to travel abruptly to parliament in Dodoma for budget negotiations.

This resulted in a lengthier visit with Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye, but the planned royal gifts to the PM and a HIV/AIDS center in Dar es Salaam had to be skipped since these went missing with the crown prince's luggage.

The most worrying disruption to the planned tour was a violent riot at the University of Dar es Salaam just hours before Crown Prince Haakon was scheduled to visit. Police used tear gas on students protesting new rules concerning loans.

The crown prince visited an AIDS treatment center in Dar es Salaam, where he was clearly moved by his meeting with children and infants born with the disease.

Crown Prince Haakon is on a four-day trip to Tanzania. The crown prince is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations' development program (UNDP) and has extended his stint until the end of 2005.



Crown Prince Haakon greets five-month old Issa at the Pasada HIV/AIDS center in Dar es Salaam while the boy's mother Moshi Mohamedi looks on.

photo

 

[Fireweaver]

The image of the crown prince with the children was very moving.

 

[Bubbette]

Lots of photos of Haakon in Africa:
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article778192.ece http://www.aftenposten.no/english/bildeser...ticle781710.ece

 

[norwegianne]

Haakon in Sierra Leone '05

Crown Prince Haakon will be landing in Sierra Leone this evening. Since he will be landing rather late, it has been deemed unsafe for him to be taken into Freetown (the capital), rather he shall have to spend the night at an hotel by the airport.

For as short time as three-four years ago, Sierra Leone was judged the most dangerous country in the world. Freetown is situated on a penisula, and isn't safe to travel to by night. The other option would be to take the Crown Prince in by helicopter, but because of Snipers this option was nixed.

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=102576

 

[trinny]

Aaaaah Haakon, be still my beating heart!

 

[KikkiB]

CP Haakons visit to Sierra Leone

CP Haakon is visiting Sierra Leone as a Goodwill ambassador to the UN (I think something to do with developement). He will be there from 7/2 - 11/2. I saw a clip of him on the news. And I'll try to find some photos from the visit. If others have photos from the visit please post

 

[pdas1201]

From Civil War to Peace And Development: Norwegian Prince to Visit Sierra Leone

January 26, 2005
Posted to the web January 31, 2005

Confidential sources have disclosed the visit of HRH Crown Prince Haakon's to Sierra Leone beginning 7-11 February, describing it as a meeting between the country being on top of UNDPs list of Human Development, and the country being on the bottom.

11 years of civil war had catastrophic consequences for Sierra Leone, among which is the life expectancy at birth dropping to 34 years, but assistance from UN peacekeeping forces (UNAMSIL) has brought peace to the country and the rebuilding is on track.

His Royal Highness The Norwegian Crown Prince of Norway will be visiting Sierra Leone in his capacity as Good Will Ambassador for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Sierra Leone was almost destroyed by a civil war that lasted 11 years and was officially ended in 2002.

During the war over 50% of the population was expelled from their homes and more than 50,000 were killed.

The war had enormous consequences on the level of development: the maternal mortality ratio became the highest in the world and the number of children registered in schools dropped dramatically.

Only 36% of the children in Sierra Leone carry through primary school, compared to 100% in Norway.

While life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 34 years, it is 79 years in Norway.

57% of the population in Sierra Leone lives for less than 1 USD a day.

The programme for HRH The Norwegian Crown Prince will focus on the transition from violent conflict to peace and long-term development.

The Crown Prince will among other things meet ex-combatants now participating in the work of collecting illegal weapons, and will also visit prisons and meet prisoners who are convicted for crimes committed during the civil war.

The programme also includes a visit to Kono where the so-called "blood diamonds" are being found- the natural recourses that contributed to the extension of the war.

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan recently launched a report on the security in the world and the need of a reform of the UN system. Sierra Leone is one of the countries where UN peacekeeping forces have contributed to securing peace and security after 11 years of civil war. Following the end of the war in 2002, local elections and presidential elections have been pulled off peacefully.

More than 500,000 refugees have returned to their homes and the government has carried through extensive reforms.

Thousands of young soldiers have been demobilized, and together with other partners UNDP is working to give them education and work experience, making them able to have a civilian livelihood.

The Goodwill Ambassador, HRH Crown Prince Haakon, was appointed Good Will Ambassador for UNDP in 2003, and since the pronouncement he has visited UNDP in New York, Tanzania and Cambodia.

The focus of his work for UNDP is the Millennium Development Goals that were approved by the world's leaders at the UN Millennium summit in September 2000.

The Millennium Development Goals consist among others of a promise to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and to halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day.

 

[KikkiB]

It is quite interesting to see how much less media coverage CP Haakons visit to Africa get than CP Mette-Marits And both trips brings awareness to important issues!

 

[Ava Elizabeth]

God point, KikkiB!! Thats too bad!

 

[norwegianne]

Well, TV2 has a team there... I caught him on the news tonight, as he was congratulating the Prince of Wales on his impending marriage.

 

[Dennism]

Bravo to the Crown Prince for going to Sierra Leone. I hope there will be more coverage so that people don´t forget about this troubled land.

 

[norwegianne]

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=266451

The cars of the Crown Prince and the people along with him, were stoned in Sierra Leone. It happened because the people assumed that it was the president of the country, or some spoiled rich person, as the police car who had been travelling the route beforehand had hit a person. When the two police-men had left their car to check, they had been met by a mob of people and escaped. The police car wasn't as lucky.

The people are furious because of the high corruption in the country.

They did not realise that it was the cars of an UN delegation they stoned, and not one of their own.

The Crown Prince's car was not hit, but it might have been fairly gruesome as he wasn't in an armoured car, and sitting on the side of the car as the stones were coming from.

 

[norwegianne]

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=266452

The gist of the article: Crown prince Haakon met people who had suffered from the civil war in the country. Some had had their arms amputated. 420 of them have received help from Norway to get housing and a new start in life, and 600 of them are waiting for more help from Norway...

 

[norwegianne]

Pictures from the meeting with the people who have had their arms amputated.

 

[Dennism]

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=266451

The cars of the Crown Prince and the people along with him, were stoned in Sierra Leone. It happened because the people assumed that it was the president of the country, or some spoiled rich person, as the police car who had been travelling the route beforehand had hit a person. When the two police-men had left their car to check, they had been met by a mob of people and escaped. The police car wasn't as lucky.

The people are furious because of the high corruption in the country.

They did not realise that it was the cars of an UN delegation they stoned, and not one of their own.

The Crown Prince's car was not hit, but it might have been fairly gruesome as he wasn't in an armoured car, and sitting on the side of the car as the stones were coming from.

What an amazing story. Luckily, the Crown Prince was okay but that´s a shame that the police car had hit somebody. These people have suffered so much already.

 

[Josefine]

does he often do these kind of trips

 

[Larzen]

http://www.kongehuset.no/dt_kongehuset_newsstyleAll.asp?ogid=5&mgid=5&gid=501&aid=5353

Crown Prince Haakon will continue as a Goodwill ambassador for UNDP for another two years, he has already made field visits to Cambodja, Sierra Leone and Tanzania and will do so in the next two years as well.
http://www.undp.org/
http://www.undp.no/default.asp?cl=NO

He also has a page of his own at the Norwegian site with pictures from his visits
http://www.undp.no/article.asp?Article_Id=2240

 

[purple_platinum]

article on Haakon & UN

http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/kongelige/article1188099.ece

someone could give translation?

 

[Larzen]

article on Haakon & UN
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/kongelige/article1188099.ece
someone could give translation?

Im his 2.term as an undp ambassador Haakon will focus on water questions. Linn Hegna from the Nordic UNDP office says they will use him more as a dooropener and that they are planning for him to attend conferences and give lectures both at home and abroad. He will make a field trip with them in April. Hegna says the response they get from his work both at home and abroad is very positive and means alot to them. Willem Alexander has worked with water questions trough the UNs CSD and is called the "Water Prince"

 

[Larzen]

Haakon's UNDP visit to Guatemala

Crown Prince Haakon to Guatemala

Crown Prince Haakon as Goodwill ambassador for the UNDP will pay a work visit to Guatemala 9-11 May

He will see and familar himself with the work of UNDP in Guatemala and create awarness about the UNs work

He will visit several of UNDPs initiatives in Guatemala city and around the lake Antitlan

http://www.kongehuset.no/dt_kongehuset_newsstyle.asp?gid=501&mgid=5&aid=5521

http://www.undp.org/

Norwegian page
http://www.undp.no/

 

[kwanfan]

Haakon's UNDP visit to Guatemala

From the 9th to the 11th Haakon will be visiting Guatemala with UNDP. Here is a thread for his visit.

 

[purple_platinum]

a little article to remind us of Haakon's role as Global Ambassador for UNDP :

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway
Bringing together youthful zeal and development passion

Becoming UNDP Goodwill Ambassador recently – one of the newest and youngest among these human development advocates – Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway combines youthful zeal with passion to close the gap between rich and poor worldwide. His specific concern – stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS, as set out in Goal 6 of the Millennium Development Goals.

"Frankness and openness about intimate and sometimes difficult issues is important if we want to succeed in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic," said Crown Prince Haakon on a visit to Cambodia in October 2004.
"Your courage is inspiring," he told youth leaders he met there. "Openness is important because it makes you understand. And what you understand you don't fear."

http://www.undp.org/goodwill/haakon.shtml

 

[purple_platinum]

article from UNDP originally in spanish, here
here's the translated version :

Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus, visits Guatemala as Goodwill Ambassador of UNDP

In his capacity as Goodwill Ambassador of UNDP, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus, initiates a visit of three days - 9,10 and 11 of May - to Guatemala.

During his stay, Prince Haakon will learn projects and programs that the Program of the United Nations for the Development, the UNDP, in support to the national efforts, develops in Guatemala directed to improve the human development in a multicultural society and to reduce the poverty, so and as it points the Objective of Development of the Millenium number 1: “To eradicate the extreme poverty and the hunger”.

According to 2002 data, 57% of the population of Guatemala live under the line of poverty and 21% under the line of extreme poverty. Between the indigenous population, these indicators rise respectively until 72% and 31%.

Prince Haakon will know projects, programs and processes that the PNUD in different scopes accompanies or executes:

- Peace, reconciliation, historical elucidation and processes of compensation. He will know the Program Dignificación and Psycho-social Asistencia the Victims of Enfrentamiento Armado (DIGAP), the Program of Participation of Sociedad Civil (PASOC), in his component of reconciliation, and the support of the PNUD to the National Program of Compensation, as well as to the process of analysis and digitalization of the historical archives of the National Police.

- National Report of Human Development. He will know, through an encounter with representatives of the civil society, the project of the National Report of Human Development, INDH, that initiated the elaboration and publication of information in 1998 like an incidence instrument. It will be centered, in addition, in the last INDH 2005 “ethnic-cultural Diversity. The citizenship in a Plural State”, that analyzes the entailment that in Guatemala has occurred historically between diversity and inequality.

- Aid of emergency and reconstruction post-Stan. The Lagoon will visit the municipality of San Marcos, in Sololá, to know the execution the Joint Program of Nations Together with in answer the tropical storm Stan, in support to the efforts of the Government. This program, among others, develops the components of temporary house, life means recovery, nourishing security and intensive manual labor.

- Citizen Participation. He will visit the Departmental Council of Development in Sololá to know in the land the Project Citizen Participation that executes the Secretariat of Planning and Programming of the Presidency (Segeplan) and the PNUD, to favor the fortification of the management capacities and agreement of the social authorities and sectors at departmental level.

- Decentralization and municipal planning. He will visit the Municipality of Chichicastenango, in which through project Promotional of Peace, executed by Volunteers of Nations Together with, VNU, technical attendance is offered the Office of Municipal Planning, accompanies to the Councils by Development municipal level and communitarian and one promotes the participation and social audit. This project executes in 30 municipalities the country.

- Local economic Development and earth. It will know projects local development economic that have received the support of the PNUD, as they are it the Chajulense Association and the Cooperative the Spring of Ixcán. In addition, one will approach the earth subject in Guatemala, and the support of the PNUD in this subject, through a meeting with Mariel Aguilar, Secretary of Agrarian Subjects.

In addition, Prince Haakon will meet with the Vice-president of the Republic, Dr Eduardo Stein in the National Palace, and will go deep in the vision of the human development in a multicultural society, by means of an encounter with Mayan leaders and spiritual guides, and a Mayan ceremony in Iximché, Chimaltenango.

 

[fanletizia]

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus (L) and Guatemala's Vice-President Eduardo Stein, wave at photographers at the National Palace of Culture in Guatemala City, 09 May 2006

from getty, polfoto and yahoo/ap

 

[fanletizia]

Norwegian prince will cross zones affected by war in Guatemala

Guatemala, 10 may (PL) In its second day from visit to Guatemala, the inheriting prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus, will today cross communities affected by the conflict armed and the passage of the storm Stan. Magnus, who is here like ambassador of Good Will of the Program of Nations United for the Development (the PNUD), will know some projects impelled by that organization in poor communities the western department Sololá.

http://www.prensalatina.com.mx/article.asp?ID=%7B7DBA5558-7713-4476-9F76-DC72D6E5726A%7D)

 

[mandyy]

Less watermarked photo from Profimedia
Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon Magnus (L) and Guatemala's Vice-President Eduardo Stein, wave at photographers at the National Palace of Culture in Guatemala City, 09 May 2006. During his three-day stay in this Central American country, Prince Haakon, a UN Goodwill Ambassador, will visit places in Guatemala's high plateau afftected by extreme poverty.

 

[purple_platinum]

1-3 : Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon visits Wednesday 10 March 2006 a school that has been rebuild after the tropical storm Stan in 2005, in Solola, around 170km west from Guatemala City, Guatemala. Prince Haakon is on a three-day visit to Guatemala as part of a United Nations programme. (ANP-EPA/Ulises Rodríguez)

4-5 : Norway's Prince Haakon laughs while talking to villagers in San Marcos de la Laguna, Guatemala May 10, 2006. The Prince, a Good Will Ambassador for the United Nations Developement Program, is in Guatemala to observe UNDP efforts to help communities affected by last year's Hurricane Stan which killed hundreds. (REUTERS/Daniel LeClair)

 

[purple_platinum]

From VG



perhaps someone can give a brief translation of the following article : http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=304250

and from Polfoto
11-05-2006
Crown Prince Haakon, of Norway, speaks to journalists during a press conference in Iximche, 55 Km (35 miles) west of Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Thursday, May 11, 2006. Haakan is in Guatemala for a three-day official visit. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

 

[Larzen]

The article posted by Jess says a small Maya girl sold some dolls to the Crown Prince, he did not bargain with her, he was followed by a string of UN representatives and bodyguards, several places they stopped to make some purchases, a man who sold him a bracelet decided to study the money to see it was not fake He also bought a bigger present that the press dont know what was but he was taking it home to Skaugum.


Today VG has an article saying Haakon has taken of the white "Make Powerty history" bracelet he has worn the last year, he said he still has it, and that he was given it by the UNDP boss in Tanzania. Fighting Powerty is one of the most important issues in the world today he says
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=116273

I have to say I think it is sad how little attention this visit gets in the Norwegian press, I think maximum 3 press organs has sent someone on this trip, when Mette-Marit went to Geneva and Malawi almost all the press sent a representative, and when Haakon, the heir goes abroad, weather it be Guatemala or the last USA visit there is hardly anything

One more pic from VG