Denmark
the land of Hans Christian Andersen

The Danes attracted international attention in the Viking Age from the late 8th century to the middle of the 11th. The Vikings acted as merchants, and often as marauders and invasion forces. For a short time in the 11th century, Denmark subjugated England. From the 14th century, Denmark also ruled over Norway and parts of Sweden. At one time, Denmark stretched from Nordkapp to the Elbe.

During the history of Denmark, the image of the Danes has changed completely. The barbaric Viking has been replaced by the Danish UN soldier with a child on his arm in Kosovo or Eritrea. The war against terrorism, peace-keeping, dissemination of democracy and support of developing countries are among the objectives given the highest priority in Danish foreign policy.

Among other things, this is achieved through membership in the UN (Denmark was a co-founder in 1945), NATO (since 1949), the Nordic Council (since 1952) and the EEC/EU (since 1973).

Denmark contributes large amounts to help developing countries and for many years now has complied with the UN request that a developed country should give at least 0.7% of its gross domestic product for development assistance. Moreover, Denmark abstains from demanding full export opportunities for the assistance. Thus almost half the money is handed over for administration through the UN and similar organisations.

Through its own direct development assistance, Denmark seeks to benefit the poor, the women and the environment of the recipient country. The former random aid projects have been superseded by a sector policy, so that support is given not to a single school, but the country’s entire education system or agriculture or fishing, etc.

Recognising that any well-intentioned assistance effort can be overthrown by wars, corruption, etc, Denmark now imposes certain political conditions on its assistance.

At the same time, it has initiated a close scrutiny of ongoing projects within the development and environmental assistance to the third world to check if anything is being wasted through corruption or the Danish assistance used against its purpose by dictatorships.

The Government which took office in 2001 has reduced assistance, but this will in no way rock Denmark’s pioneering position at the top of the donor countries.

~ abridged from www.denmark.dk

Above right: Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Commemorative Logo

Photo above left (outside Roskilde Viking Museum): "Scene from a street in Denmark" by © Allan Lissner