View of Losby Manor, a suburb of Oslo where the Oslo Forum is being held. File photo.
Delegations of the Venezuelan government and from the country’s far-right opposition—under the banner of the so-called Unitary Platform coalition—will participate in the Oslo Forum, confirmed the minister of foreign affairs of Norway, Anniken Huitfeldt.
Through an official statement, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the delegation of the Venezuelan government and the Unitary Platform, also known as G4, that are part of the Mexico Talks, will participate in the Oslo Forum to be held at Losby Manor, a suburb of Oslo, Norway’s capital.
“Negotiators of the Bolivarian government of Venezuela and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela will be in Norway to attend the Oslo Forum,” reported the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Twitter account.
The event, taking place from June 21-22, will focus on conflict mediation and peace processes.
RELATED CONTENT: Mexico Talks to Restart as Venezuela’s Government Meets With Opposition
The forum’s theme this year is “Spaces for Dialogue in a Polarized World.” Participants will discuss developments in the Middle East, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Venezuela, and Ethiopia.
Forhandlingslederne til Venezuelas bolivarianske regjering og Venezuelas enhetsplattform vil være i Norge for å delta på #OsloForumhttps://t.co/A6ASRgbZKI
— Utenriksdepartementet (@Utenriksdept) June 20, 2022
Norway is one of the facilitators of the Mexico Talks between the Venezuelan government and the Unitary Platform, which were suspended last October following the extradition of Venezuelan diplomat Álex Saab.
In this edition of the forum, there will be about 100 conflict mediators, high-level decision makers, experts, and actors in peace processes from around the world.
RELATED CONTENT: Mexico Talks Set to Resume (+Alex Saab)
High-level officials from the United Nations (UN) and the African Union are also scheduled to attend, as well as the former president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Alberto Chissano.
On behalf of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez will represent the Venezuelan government delegation, and Gerardo Blyde will act as spokesperson for the Unitary Platform.
Event attendees will share experiences and insights across regions, as well as discuss the specific challenges and dilemmas mediators face, the international security architecture, and the role of private military companies, among other issues.
“The geopolitical situation has changed dramatically in recent years,” said Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld. “The world has not been this polarized since the Cold War. This year’s Oslo Forum will focus on how to create opportunities to promote peaceful solutions in a polarized world.”
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
