The Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre – Landinfo – is responsible for collecting, analysing and presenting country of origin information to the Norwegian Immigration Authorities.
Landinfo also provides information to the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Our core users, the decision makers within the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), use the information when making decisions in non-asylum and asylum cases.
Role and mandate
Landinfo is an independent body within the Norwegian Immigration Authorities. By independence it is here implied that neither the Ministry [of Justice and Public Security], UDI nor UNE can instruct or overrule the professional assessments or research generated by the Centre. Administratively, however, Landinfo sorts under UDI.
Landinfo was established on January 1st 2005, and a Government White Paper was drawn up prior to its establishment (available in Norwegian St.meld. nr. 21). Chapter 5.3 in the White Paper defines our role and mandate.
According to this mandate, Landinfo does not participate in the actual decision making process, and we do not express any opinion on whether it is safe for an individual person to return to a specific country or area. Nor do we give advice on what should be the outcome of a case, or interfere in how the information we provide is interpreted against applicable legislation.
Staff and organisation
Landinfo has a staff of about 30. A majority of our employees are country analysts, holding extensive and varied qualifications from work and residency in the countries of their expertise, and from related work in governmental agencies, academic institutions or human rights organisations. The Centre also hosts several researchers, with similar academic or professional backgrounds, a database administrator and a small number of administrative staff.
Landinfo is organised into four regional desks – Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe/Central Asia/Latin America – each staffed by both country analysts and researchers.
Management
Jörg Lange – Head of Centre
Kristin Nysted – Deputy Head of Centre
Administrative staff
Anita Jenling Gauslaa Lim – Advisor
Elisabeth Eike – Advisor
COI database (Landdatabasen)
Martha Gjelseth – Senior Adviser
Regional desks
Africa
Jørgen Aske – Country Analyst East Africa
Bjørn R. Claussen – Country Analyst East Africa
Anne Moseng Knutsen – Country Analyst East, West and North Africa
Siv Fiva Skarbøvik – Country Analyst East and West Africa
Geir Juell Skogseth – Country Analyst Central, East, West and North Africa
Anja Østberg Hansen – Documentalist/Researcher
Asia
Barbo Helling – Country Analyst Asia
Line Johannessen – Country Analyst Asia
Eli Melby – Country Analyst Asia
Geir-Aage Neerbye – Country Analyst Asia
Karianne Hassel – Documentalist/Researcher
Balkans and Eastern Europe / Russia and Former Soviet Republics / Latin America
Vibeke Kolderup – Country Analyst Russia and Former Soviet Republics
Marit Mageli – Country Analyst Central Asia, Russia and Former Soviet Republics, Latin America
Kristin Nysted – Country Analyst Balkans
Rebecca Fasmer – Country Analyst Balkans
Beate Martnes – Documentalist/Researcher
Middle East and Turkey
Jørgen Aske – Country Analyst Middle East
Jon Nordenson – Country Analyst Middle East
Gro Hasselknippe – Country Analyst Middle East
Kai Kverme – Country Analyst Middle East and Turkey
Aslak Vardund – Country Analyst Middle East and Turkey
Nina Østby Pedersen – Country Analyst Middle East
Birgitte Abrahamsen – Documentalist/Researcher