The price tag for Norway’s military contribution in Afghanistan? 10.5 billion kroner

In total, the military effort in Afghanistan has cost Norway NOK 10.5 billion, according to the Forsvarets Forum. If civilian assistance is included, the amount is more than doubled.

The Armed Forces’ additional expenditure related to the contributions of Norwegian forces in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2020 amounts to a total of NOK 10.479 billion, according to figures received by the Forsvarets Forum from the Armed Forces.

In the same period, Norway has sent NOK 12.3 billion in aid to Afghanistan, according to Norad’s statistics.

Norway entered Afghanistan at the turn of the year 2001/2002. On April 14, this year, it became clear that NATO – and thus also Norway – would withdraw from the country.

In 2017, the Armed Forces informed news bureau NTB that Norway had spent NOK 11.5 billion on its military contribution in Afghanistan.

Figure reduced?

Since then, the amount seems to have been toned down. The figure given to the Forsvarets Forum is almost NOK 1.5 billion lower for the period 2002–2017.

Researcher Kristian Berg Harpviken at the Prio Peace Research Institute is somewhat critical of the figures and points out that Afghanistan has long been the Armed Forces’ most central task.

“In the 2002-2014 period, this was the most important thing the Armed Forces did. One may ask whether it is completely realistic that more of the Armed Forces’ expenses are not linked to Afghanistan,” he told Forsvarets Forum.

A total of 9,000 Norwegian soldiers have served in Afghanistan. Ten of them lost their lives in the war.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayFinance

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