Marit Lofnes Mellingen has been appointed as the new Director of the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (Norec). The appointment was made by the King in Council.

Marit Lofnes Mellingen has been appointed as the new Director of the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation. The appointment was made by the King in Council.

– Norec plays an important role in Norwegian development policy. Through exchange programmes and recruitment to international organisations, Norec contributes to building trust between people, organisations and countries, says Minister of International Development Åsmund Aukrust.

Mellingen comes from the position as Director of Distriktssenteret (the national competence centre for rural development), where she has worked for the past six years.

– I am very pleased to have been given this trust. Norec has an important and meaningful social mission. I look forward to becoming part of the team and to working together with the organisation’s highly competent employees, says Mellingen.

She has previously worked at the Norwegian Agency for Public Management and eGovernment (Difi), Norge.no, and with the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane.

Norec is located in Førde and is an important instrument for achieving Norway’s goals in development and foreign policy. The agency is a competence centre for international cooperation through the exchange of personnel and expertise. Norec also works to strengthen Norwegian participation in international organisations.

The position as Director is a fixed-term appointment for six years, with the possibility of extension. Mellingen will take up the position in August 2026.