Fafo Foundation

The Fafo Research Foundation, also known as the Fafo Foundation or just Fafo (Norwegian: Forskningsstiftelsen Fafo), is a Norwegian research foundation, consisting of two research institutes: The Fafo Institute for Labour and Social Research and the Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies. The two institutes are conducting social research both nationally in Norway and internationally. Fafo has offices in Oslo, Jerusalem and Beijing.

Fafo was founded by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in 1982 and was reorganised as an independent research foundation in 1993 with contributions from the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees and six major Norwegian companies (Orkla Group, Umoe, Elkem, Coop Norge, Sparebank1 Gruppen and Telenor). The first director of Fafo was Terje Rød Larsen (1982–1993). Under his leadership, Fafo became increasingly involved in international peace research and politics, particularly in the Middle East, from the late 1980s, and the institute played a central role in the negotiations that culminated in the Oslo Accords. The origin of the Oslo Accords can be traced back to a research project initiated by Fafo in the Palestinian territories, and the negotiations that led to the accords were hosted by Fafo in Oslo. Terje Rød Larsen would subsequently become a UN Under-Secretary-General responsible for coordinating the Middle East peace process.