Kamzy Gunaratnam, a senior member of Norway’s Labour Party, has been appointed Minister of Transport and Communications following a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre last Friday.
Gunaratnam, 38, was born in the Jaffna region and moved to Norway with her parents in 1991 due to the conflict in Sri Lanka.
As Minister of Transport and Communications, she will oversee policies relating to passenger and freight transport, as well as postal services.
She was elected as a substitute Member of Parliament representing the Labour Party in Oslo in 2013 and served as Deputy Mayor of the Oslo City Council from 2019 to 2021.
Her appointment has received considerable attention in the Norwegian media, as she is the first politician representing Oslo to serve as Norway’s Transport Minister since Liberal Party politician Odd Einar Dørum left the position in 1999.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath congratulated Gunaratnam through his official X account, saying her appointment was a source of pride for the Sri Lankan community in Norway due to their shared heritage.
He also wished her success in her new role.
