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