IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol met with Norway's Prime Minister and other senior government leaders in Oslo this week to discuss a range of key energy-related issues, including Norway's contributions to international energy security and further opportunities to collaborate on expanding clean cooking access in Africa. He was accompanied in the meetings by Toril Bosoni, the Head of the IEA's Oil Markets and Industry Division.
Dr Birol met with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the Prime Minister's official residence for an extensive discussion that covered topics such as Norway's energy priorities and its contributions to European and global energy security. They also discussed joint efforts by the IEA and Norway to support greater access to clean cooking technologies across Africa, building on the landmark Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa in May 2024 that was co-hosted in Paris by the IEA, Norway, Tanzania and the African Development Bank Group.
The Executive Director met bilaterally with Norway's Energy Minister Terje Aasland. They spoke about global energy security risks, Europe's energy prospects and the IEA's 2026 Ministerial Meeting, which will include an event on clean cooking co-hosted by Norway.
Dr Birol also sat down with Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide to discuss multiplying risks for global energy security amid a complex geopolitical context, as well as efforts to ensure reliable and affordable energy supplies in Ukraine through the coming winter. And he met with Minister of International Development Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, with whom he spoke about clean cooking access, the use of different energy sources in economic development, and Ukraine's energy security situation.
While in Oslo, Dr Birol delivered a keynote speech at the annual Autumn Conference, a major event for energy industry leaders and policymakers. He highlighted the key findings of the IEA's World Energy Outlook 2025 on the proliferation of energy security risks across a wide range of fuels and technologies.
