Sendiráð Íslands - Pretoríu, Suður-Afríku

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has published the following basic facts about the Icelandic economy...

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While Iceland and most other countries are currently dealing with a serious financial crisis, business in Iceland is being conducted as usual. All services - including banking services – are functioning as on any other day. Hotels, restaurants, airlines, car rentals, currency exchange facilities, offices, shops, etc. are all open for normal business. Visitors can be assured that they will be treated with same friendly hospitality that Icelanders have become known for throughout the travel world.

Due to the special circumstances on the Icelandic financial markets the Government of Icelandic has decided to open an information center for the public, businesses and the media, both in Iceland and abroad.

Vegna þeirra erfiðleika sem nú ríkja í íslensku fjármálalífi hafa íslensk stjórnvöld ákveðið að opna upplýsingamiðstöð fyrir almenning, fyrirtæki og fjölmiðla, innanlands sem utan. >>>

The Prime Minister's Office information site contains photos and videos from the press meetings in Iceland as well as declarations and further information regarding the financial situation in Iceland.

Writers, translators and scholars (not university students) in the field of humanities from outside Iceland, are eligible to apply for this fellowship which enables a stay in Iceland for a period of at least three months in order to improve their knowledge of the Icelandic language, culture and society.

Applications by ordinary mail (no e-mail applications) should be sent no later than 31 October 2008 to the Sigurdur Nordal Institute in Iceland.

For further details see www.arnastofnun.is/english.

On 2 October 2008, Mr Gudmundur Eiriksson presented his Credentials to His Excellency Kgalema Motlanthe, President of the Republic of South Africa, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iceland to the Republic of South Africa.

The Ambassador of Iceland, H.E. Dr Sigridur Duna Kristmundsdottir, hosted a reception at the Michelangelo Hotel Johannesburg on 9 June 2008 for the 2nd OECD Regional Workshop on African Debt Management and Bond Markets.

On June 9, 2008 the governments of South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway signed a joint declaration for Nordic-South African partnerships for peace, security and development in Africa.

The Global Peace Index for 2008, released last month, ranks Iceland as the world’s most peaceful nation.The survey is compiled by the Economist Intelligent Unit from 24 indicators of external and internal measures of peace.

The ranking in whole can be found online:

http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/results/rankings/2008/

Delivered at the Althing at its 135th legislative session, 2007 - 2008

Ms. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade delivered her first speech on Foreign Policy for Althingi, the Parliament of Iceland on 8 November 2007.

Guest Studio for Visual Artists, Reykjavík Iceland managed by The Icelandic Association of Visual Artist (SÍM) call for applications.

The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies invites applications for the Snorri Sturluson Icelandic Fellowships for 2008.

Ambassador of Iceland presents credentials in the Kingdom of Lesotho for the first time

Farewell bid to Counsellor at the Embassy in Pretoria

Háskóli Suður Afríku (UNISA), stærsta fjarnámsmiðstöð Suður Afríku með yfir 20.000 nemendur bæði í Suður Afríku og á alþjóðavísu, tók á móti heildarsafni ensku þýðingarinnar á Íslandssögunum við hátíðlega athöfn þann 21. ágúst.

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Ambassador Sigídur Dúna Kristmundsdóttir presented her credentials to HE President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique on 9 July.

Iceland took a major step in its relationship with the African continent at a simple ceremony on 12 April 2007: Ambassador Kristmundsdóttir presented her credentials as Permanent Representative of Iceland to the African Union (AU).

Receiving her credentials was Mr. Patrick Mazimhaka, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission. The presentation was made at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Iceland's Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs draws attention to the fact that the deadline for applying for the re-granting of Icelandic citizenship under the Interim Provision of the Icelandic Citizenship Act, No. 100/1952 (cf. the Act No. 9/2003) is 1 July 2007.

Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Valgerdur Sverrisdóttir, officiated at the formal inauguration of Iceland’s Embassy in Pretoria on 26 February. Although the mission had been established a year earlier, Mrs Sverrisdóttir used the occasion of her visit to South Africa to declare the embassy officially open for business.