Co-operation has been growing especially in the field of energy, and several Norwegian companies have established themselves in Baku. Statoil is by far the largest, as a partner in the giant oil field Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli, the gas and condensate field Shah Deniz, the Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan-oil pipeline and the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline. This makes Statoil the second biggest investor in Azerbaijan. The BTC started operating in May 2005, while SCP delivered the first Caspian gas to Turkey in June 2007. Statoil is the commercial operator for the gas pipeline SCP and operates the marketing and sale of gas from Shah Deniz through Azerbaijan Gas Supply Company.
For some years now, Norwegian humanitarian organizations have been playing an active role in the field of humanitarian aid and development in Azerbaijan. The Norwegian Refugee Council was engaged in efforts to assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in Azerbaijan from 1995 to 2008, and was active in the following fields: shelter and rehabilitation of community infrastructure, public building rehabilitation, income generation, human rights education and advocacy. Due to Azerbaijan's increased oil revenues and greater capability to conduct humanitarian aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council decided to end their mission in Azerbaijan in 2008. Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1994 and their focus is on income generation, agriculture, work on orphanages and schools, as well as culture. Norwegian Red Cross has for more than ten years cooperated with Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society on various humanitarian projects related to internally displaced people and refugees. The Norwegian Embassy in Baku has some funds available to support activities of local actors in the fields of democratisation, human rights, the environment and culture through its Small Grants Programme. The Norwegian Society of Chartered Engineers and The Norwegian Energy Efficiency Group have for several years been organising trainings on Cleaner Production and Energy Efficiency in Azerbaijan, and they are now aiming at establishing Azerbaijan Energy Efficiency and Cleaner Production Centre in Baku to strengthen the work towards cleaner production and energy efficiency.
The interest for Norway and Norwegian culture is considerable in Azerbaijan. This is to a large extent thanks to the theories of the scientist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl about the historical relationship between the people of the two countries. Due to this interest, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has through Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise financed archeological excavations and restorations of the church in Kish near the city of Sheki in the north-western part of Azerbaijan.
In 2006 the Azerbaijan University of Languages launched a new Bachelor Programme in Scandinavian Area Studies in cooperation with the University of Oslo and the University of Agder in Norway. Today there are four classes and almost 40 students that study Norwegian language and the history, economics, politics and literature of Scandinavia. The first group of students will receive their Bachelor degree in June 2010.
Joint Declaration on the further development of friendly relations and cooperation between the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Azerbaijan, 4 December 2007.