The new honorary consul for Norway in Malaga, Sandra García Torres, was welcomed on Monday at a reception in the gardens of the city's Picasso Museum.

The event was attended by the Norwegian ambassador to Spain, Lars Andersen, as well as the government representative in Malaga, Javier Salas; the president of the Diputación provincial authority, Francisco Salado; the mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre; and city councillor Mar Torres.

Salado stressed the importance of the links between Norway and Malaga, a connection that "has a century of history and much future ahead".

Addressing the ambassador, Salado said, "I hope to continue working together so that this relationship between Norway and Malaga continues to grow and generate new opportunities."

He pointed out that links between Norway and Malaga date back to the port of Malaga at the end of the 19th century. "Products from Norway arrived in the province and from here, some of the most representative products of the Malaga of that period, wine and raisins, left for the north of Europe."

Salado added that around 2,500 Norwegian nationals live in the province of Malaga, making up 88 per cent of the Norwegians in Andalucía.

"Around 250,000 visitors from Norway come to the Costa del Sol every year," said the president.

The evening included a performance by Norwegian violinist resident in Malaga Anna Margrethe Nilsen and Jesús Reina.