On 20 August 2026, H.E. Ms. Nitivadee Manitkul, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Norway, attended the ASEAN Business Reception. On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, was invited to attend as the Guest of Honour, and Ambassador Nitivadee was invited to deliver remarks as the Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Oslo (ACO).

 

In her remarks, Ambassador Nitivadee commended Norway's vital role as one of ASEAN’s most important Sectoral Dialogue Partners. She highlighted that the Southeast Asian region possesses immense potential as a premier destination for Norwegian trade, investment, energy and innovation. Amidst current geopolitical and geoeconomic complexities, ASEAN remains a steadfast anchor of stability, neutrality, and growth.

 

Furthermore, there are ample opportunities for ASEAN and Norway to strengthen cooperation across various fields, including climate action, energy, the green transition, biodiversity protection, and, crucially, economic cooperation. At present, four ACO members (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) maintain active Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Regarding the Thailand-EFTA FTA, Thailand have just ratified the agreement, which is anticipated to enter into force on 1 January 2027.

 

The ASEAN Business Reception is an annual high-level gathering organised by the Singapore-Norway Chamber of Commerce (SNCC). The event was attended by Ambassadors of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) to Norway, Norwegian Ambassadors to the AMS, high-level representatives from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Norwegian private sector.