Coordinating Foreign Policy: The Changing Role of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry

Abstract

East, M. Coordinating Foreign Policy: The Changing Role of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. Cooperation and Conflict, XIX, 1984, 121-134. This is a study of foreign policy-making in Norway, focusing on the need for increased coordination in foreign policy-making brought about by interdependence. New actors, new issues, and increased interplay between domestic and international forces within a nation's foreign policy arena bring about an increased need for coordination both within the Foreign Ministry and between ministries. It is argued that in Norway, the Foreign Ministry has shown a relatively low level of effectiveness in dealing with several aspects of coordination. This is demonstrated by looking at government studies of the Foreign Ministry, examining the patterns of growth in the ministry — what offices grow and what do they do, and interviewing numerous foreign service officers. It is shown that the Foreign Ministry seems to have increased its capacity to deal with and respond to increased activity by the missions abroad. However, there is less evidence of effective attempts to improve coordination within the ministry or between the ministry and other government agencies. Interviews with foreign policy-makers inside and outside the Foreign Ministry reveal that Foreign Ministry personnel do not consider the problem of coordination to be serious. They feel that because there is good personal and informal contact between individuals in the government, the foundation is there to coordinate whenever this is necessary without more formal or institutional mechanisms. However, when carrying out interaction and communication analysis of other ministries dealing with foreign matters, it is revealed that much information does not reach the Foreign Ministry and that their input is not sought as frequently as foreign service personnel think it is.