On 15 June 2026, the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Dr Vasu Gounden, hosted the newly appointed Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Ambassador Anne Beathe Kristiansen. It was the Ambassador’s first visit to ACCORD during her first official visit to the Province of Kwazulu-Natal. The visit provided an opportunity for the Ambassador to learn more about ACCORD, as well as to discuss issues related to the socio-political environment both on the Continent and in South Africa.
Norway has been a longstanding partner of ACCORD since 1995, especially funding the Training for Peace in Africa programme, which has played a significant role in strengthening peacekeeping and conflict prevention capacity across the continent.
The Ambassador was accompanied by her husband, Mr Olav Skinnes, the former Mayor of Krødsherad, Norway, as well as Mr Eivind Skeie, a Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo.
