Norway will Meet NATO’s 2% Defence Spending Guideline in 2024

Defense News ,Norway :-  Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, says it's crucial for Norway to boost its defense. He emphasizes that both national and international security demand immediate action. This year, Norway is committed to meeting NATO's guideline of spending 2% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense. Støre highlights that security, especially in the face of a more dangerous and unpredictable Russia, is not something to be taken lightly. He assures that Norway will play its part in contributing to European security.

Increasing defense spending means the government will allocate more money from public funds to strengthen the armed forces and overall resilience. To ensure this commitment, the government plans to propose additional funding for defense in the revised national budget. This move aims to fulfill Norway's obligation to spend 2% of GDP on defense in 2024, aligning with NATO's shared ambition since 2014. Initially, Norway aimed to reach this goal by 2026 but has now accelerated its efforts.

Norwegian Minister of Finance, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, underscores that the government's primary responsibility is ensuring the security of its people. He stresses the importance of allocating more resources to security, defense, and national readiness, especially given the current global unrest. Vedum notes that defense spending has already increased by 40% since the current government took office. Introducing new measures to meet the 2% guideline will further enhance national control and security while generating job opportunities across Norway.

Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram, highlights the government's ongoing efforts to maximize existing capabilities. Investments in people, competence, and infrastructure have been prioritized, alongside incremental increases in defense spending each budget year. Gram promises an ambitious long-term plan to Parliament for a more robust defense system. Continuous improvement of capabilities and investment in new technologies are also on the agenda.