[13] In June 2012, Eide made the opening remarks at a seminar in Oslo on "Masculinity and the Military", saying that Norway was beginning the "final stage of the transformation of the armed forces", taking "a fundamentally new approach to how we recruit, invest in and maintain a pool of highly qualified personnel."

In addition to "recruiting those who can run long distances and carry a heavy back pack", he explained, the military would seek to "attract those who are especially skilled in new technologies.

[16] At a joint press conference on 12 March 2013 in Washington, D.C., with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Eide said that Norway was working "closely with the Syrian opposition", by providing humanitarian aid and, "trying to help them to set up local council inside Syria."

We need to work with the Syrian opposition, we need to help them to unify, we need to help them to consolidate messages, and we need to make sure that the Security Council finally is able to come to a kind of joint position in this issue.

"[19] In April 2013, Eide declared that a new wave of violence in the state of Rakhine in Burma should not be considered identical to earlier conflicts in that country, which resulted from government oppression.

[26] Barth Eide stated that Greta Thunberg's statements of the seriousness of the climate crisis were acceptable, but he further warned that saying that the policies and the conference being useless, would be heading down a dangerous path.

On the issue, he commented: "The Ministry of Climate and the Environment has dealt with complaints about the predatory game committees' decisions on licensing of up to 26 wolves outside the wolf zone.

[29] Barth Eide received criticism from the Socialist Left Party in January 2022 after having spoken "warmly" about the country's oil and gas industry in a meeting with the European Union's Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans.

[31] In response to a joint letter from governors and mayors from the area surrounding the Oslo fjord regarding nitrogen pollution, Barth Eide responded saying that he appreciated the enthusiasm regarding the issue.

[32] In early February, Eide announced that the government had won in the appeal court against a temporary injunction to further cull 26 wolves inside the designated wolf zone.

Although environmental groups expressed understanding for the inclusion of workers and employers, they were critical of being left out, despite having previously been invited to similar councils to either negotiate or handle questions of political solutions.

The leader of the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature, Truls Gulowsen, said: "Of course, we agree that the labour partners should have a central role, but this does not preclude others from being involved, especially if the council is to have real significance in the work with record-breaking emission cuts".

[40] In early November, Liberal Party leader Guri Melby accused Barth Eide of hiding the real figures for car emissions in a Norwegian Automobile Federation report.

State Secretary Ragnhild Syrstad, on Barth Eide's behalf, assured that progress was being made on selling electricity cars and reach the 2025 target.

He also announced that the government had tasked the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property to consider building new facilities for the research station worth 3 billion NOK, with a doubling capacity for 65 to 100 people.

[45] After the European Parliament passed climate legislation in April, which notably included the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM); Bath Eide argued that it isn't formally a tariff.

[46] In July, Barth Eide approved a felling permit for a female brown bear and her cubs after the Norwegian Environment Agency had originally rejected a request by sheep and goat farmers in Nord-Trøndelag.

[49] In September, the government announced that they would make future motorways slimmer in order to save the environment, reuse existing roads and decrease intervention in nature.

[52] On 15 November, Barth Eide and prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced that Norwegian citizens stranded in the Gaza strip had been evacuated to Egypt by bus.

[53] At a NATO foreign ministers summit in late November, Barth Eide expressed concern about different standards regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.

He said there was lack of criticism against Israel's blockade of the Gaza strip as a key issue, additionally expressing concern about global support for Ukraine dwindling.

[54] In December, Barth Eide attended a summit in Oslo, meeting with his other European and Middle Eastern counterparts to discuss a two state solution regarding Israel and Palestine.

[55] In January, he expressed concern about Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip and labelled their actions as possible war crimes and breaches of humanitarian law.

[57] Following Israeli accusations against some UNRWA staff taking part in the Hamas attack on Israel, Barth Eide announced that Norway would continue its financial support to the agency.

[58] In late February, he indicated that Norway support Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte's candidacy for NATO Secretary General, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg.

[65][66] Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Barth Eide expressed concerns for further escalation in the region and warned against retaliatory actions from either Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran.

[68] In the wake of the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in late September, Barth Eide called for an end to hostilities in Lebanon and for a ceasefire both there and in Gaza.

[69] Barth Eide and his Nordic counterparts signed a joint letter in late October condemning Israel's draft bills that would seek to ban the UNRWA from operating in the country and in effect the Palestinian areas.

[70] Once the bills had been passed, Eide issued his condemnation and added that Norway would be seeking to ask the ICJ about the legality of the ban and whether or not it violates international law.

In 2016, after two years of intensified negotiations and liaison, he stated that both sides are strongly committed to the peace process and that settlement discussions are held without taboos on all issues.