Halle Jørn Hanssen
Encyclopedia
Halle Jørn Hanssen is a Norwegian
television correspondent, development aid
administrator and politician.
He was born in Brønnøy
, and worked as a teacher in Vinje, Sør-Trøndelag
before enrolling at the University of Oslo
. He graduated with the cand.mag.
degree in 1964, and worked as a researcher
at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs from 1965 up to and including 1968. Having been the chairman of the Young Liberals of Norway from 1964 to 1966, in early 1969 he was hired as secretary for the Liberal Party. Immediately after the 1969 election
he was hired in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1978 he became the first correspondent for Africa in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, which was the only television station in Norway at that time. As a correspondent he was stationed in Nairobi
.
Hanssen left the Liberal Party in 1972, as the party split over disagreements of Norway's proposed entry to the European Economic Community
. He joined the Labour Party
instead, and served three terms as a local politician in Bærum
municipal council.
In 1982 he left his job in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, and was hired in the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
. In 1992 he was hired in the Norwegian People's Aid, becoming secretary general in 1994. He left in 2001, and has since worked as a freelance writer, lecturer and advisor. Among other topics, he has advised the Norwegian People's Aid about democracy building
in Sudan
.
Hanssen has also been involved in Inter Press Service
, Eurostep
, the Panos Institute
, Attac Norway and the Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development. He resides at Høvik
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
television correspondent, development aid
Development aid
Development aid or development cooperation is aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social and political development of developing countries.It is distinguished...
administrator and politician.
He was born in Brønnøy
Brønnøy
Brønnøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative and commercial centre is the town of Brønnøysund. A secondary centre is the village of Hommelstø. Other villages include Tosbotn, Lande, Trælnes, and Indreskomo.The Brønnøysund Register...
, and worked as a teacher in Vinje, Sør-Trøndelag
Vinje, Sør-Trøndelag
Vinje is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the southern part of the present-day municipality of Hemne. The village of Vinjeøra, at the end of the Vinjefjorden, was the municipal center of Vinje...
before enrolling at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
. He graduated with the cand.mag.
Cand.mag.
Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...
degree in 1964, and worked as a researcher
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs from 1965 up to and including 1968. Having been the chairman of the Young Liberals of Norway from 1964 to 1966, in early 1969 he was hired as secretary for the Liberal Party. Immediately after the 1969 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1969
The 1969 election proved to be one of the closest ones in Norwegian history. The only leftist party to win seats, the Labour Party, got 74 seats, while the right-wing parties got 76 seats. When counting the results, people started worrying that the two sides would be evenly split with 75 seats...
he was hired in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1978 he became the first correspondent for Africa in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, which was the only television station in Norway at that time. As a correspondent he was stationed in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
Hanssen left the Liberal Party in 1972, as the party split over disagreements of Norway's proposed entry to the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
. He joined the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
instead, and served three terms as a local politician in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
municipal council.
In 1982 he left his job in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, and was hired in the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its task is to ensure effective foreign aid, with quality assurance and evaluation. NORAD both finances NGOs, and does its own research and projects. The current director general is...
. In 1992 he was hired in the Norwegian People's Aid, becoming secretary general in 1994. He left in 2001, and has since worked as a freelance writer, lecturer and advisor. Among other topics, he has advised the Norwegian People's Aid about democracy building
Democracy building
Democracy building is the process of building and strengthening democracy, in particular the consolidation of democratic institutions, including courts of law, police forces and constitutions....
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.
Hanssen has also been involved in Inter Press Service
Inter Press Service
Inter Press Service is a global news agency. Its main focus is the production of independent news and analysis about events and processes affecting economic, social and political development....
, Eurostep
Eurostep
Eurostep is a network of autonomous European non-governmental development organisations working towards peace, justice and equality in a world free of poverty...
, the Panos Institute
Panos Institute
The Panos Institutes are a network of independent non-governmental organisations working to ensure that information is effectively used to foster public debate, pluralism and democracy...
, Attac Norway and the Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development. He resides at Høvik
Høvik
Høvik is a suburban centre in the municipality of Bærum, Akershus, Norway. Mainly a residential area, its population is 4,311.Høvik has a church, a small shopping area and a railway station served by Drammensbanen. Flytoget does not stop at Høvik. Nearby is the Henie-Onstad Art Centre...
.