Researcher
Svein Efjestad
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Summary
Svein Efjestad graduated from The University of Oslo in 1980 (Political Science, International Law and History). He held a scholarship at the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Affairs (NUPI) from 1978 – 1980.
He joined the Ministry of Defence in 1981 and Norwegian delegation to NATO form 1986-1990.In NATO Efjestad worked on policy issues related to defence and nuclear planning.
Returning to the Ministry of Defence in 1990, Efjestad was appointed Head of Division, in charge of The Security Policy Office. In 1991, Efjestad was promoted to Deputy Director General in The Security Policy Department.
From 1995 – 2013 Efjestad served as Director General for Security Policy at the Ministry of Defence. From 2013 Efjestad was policy director at the same ministry.
Efjestad has been representing Norway in a number of committees in NATO, including the High Level Group and the Senior Official Group. Ha has chaired many bilateral and regional committees including the bilateral US - Norwegian Study Group and the Nordic Policy Steering Committee.
He has also been a member of committees dealing with coordination of intelligence in Norway. Efjestad was chairing the Norwegian Coast Guard Council for more than 20 years.
He has lectured at several Norwegian and International Institutions on defence and security issues.
In 2014 Efjestad was awarded “Das Ehrenkreutz der Bundeswehr in Gold” from the German Minister of Defence. Also in 2014, Efjestad was appointed Commander of “Finlands Lejons Orden”. He was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Norwegian Navy in 2021
Efjestad retired from the MOD in August 2022 and is now a senior adviser at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.
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The future of the US nuclear guarantee
The war in Ukraine has the potential to fundamentally reshape Europe’s security landscape. This challenge is compounded by the deepening security cooperation between China and Russia. At the same time, political dysfunction in the United States raises concerns, and significant shifts in US security policy could diminish its commitment to Europe. Nuclear weapons play a pivotal role in great power politics. The modernization of US strategic nuclear forces presents a major challenge. These developments may erode the credibility of the US extended deterrence and nuclear guarantee to Europe. Given this context, it is crucial for European allies to strengthen their conventional defense capabilities, reducing reliance on nuclear forces. In addition, Europe should actively advocate for a robust nuclear deterrent. Although US tactical or sub-strategic nuclear weapons stationed in Europe represent only a small portion of America’s overall nuclear arsenal, they remain important. European nations should also pursue greater operational cooperation with US strategic forces, including hosting US strategic aircraft operations in their airspace and participating in joint training and exercises.
Command and Control in Northern Europe: Challenges and Potential Solutions
Command and control (C2) is a fundamental requirement for military action. Despite the regional tensions currently faced in Northern Europe, however, deficiencies remain in NATO’s current system. As such, this policy brief examines NATO’s ability to perform C2 amid the region’s evolving security landscape, and how this might be strengthened going forward. The brief concludes that the newly established Joint Forces Command (JFC) Norfolk should assume responsibility for Allied C2 in regional crisis management and conflict. •NATO enlargement, coupled with technological and political changes – including the rise of China and Russian aggression in Ukraine and other parts of Europe – has placed new demands on Allied C2 arrangements. •More specifically, the entry of Finland and (soon) Sweden into NATO has spurred debate over the future C2 architecture for NATO forces in the Nordic–Baltic region. •Following the end of the Cold War, NATO chose to abolish its existing C2 architecture, which was designed to counter the Soviet threat in Europe and the North Atlantic, and instead focus on out-of-area operations. •Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, and especially its invasion of Ukraine in 2014, have led to changes in NATO’s military organisation, notably the establishment of a new JFC in Norfolk, Virginia.
Transatlantic Security – Challenges and Opportunities
In this project NUPI analyzes developments in transatlantic security policy together with researchers from CSIS in the United States and RUSI in the United Kingdom. The aim of the project is to contri...
Norway and Great Power Politics – Geopolitics, Technology and Climate (NISP)
Our times are shaped by developments in geopolitical power dynamics, fast-paced technological development and climate change. In this research program NUPI analyses how these developments change the s...
Research group for Security and Defence
Research group for Security and Defence