“There is a very close relationship between our two parliaments, and Icelandic and Norwegian MPs regularly meet in Nordic forums and through the EEA/EFTA cooperation. This visit will further help to strengthen our parliamentary ties,” said the President of the Storting.

The delegation also comprises Morten Wold (Progress Party), the Storting’s Third Vice President, and Kathy Lie (Socialist Left Party), who is a member of the Storting’s delegation to the Nordic Council.

The green transition and equality

As well as visiting the Althingi, the delegation will meet the President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, and Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

Among the items on the three-day programme are the green transition and equality, two fields that are of great importance to Norway and Iceland. Company visits have been arranged to the Hellisheidi geothermal power plant and Iceland Ocean Cluster, both of which focus on sustainability and the green transition.

A close Nordic partner

“Collaboration between the Nordic states is extremely important because our societies share so much in common and face many common challenges. I’m hugely looking forward to meeting my Icelandic colleagues and to finding out more about how the Althingi works,” said Mr Gharahkhani.

It has long been a tradition for the President of the Storting to visit the presidents of the other Nordic parliaments after a parliamentary election. The Icelandic election took place in September 2021, only a few days after the Norwegian election. Birgir Ármannsson was elected as the Speaker of the Althingi in December 2021.