Azerbaijan
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 the Azerbaijan Gas Supply Company (AGSE).
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 Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals (TEKNA) and Energy Saving International AS (ENSI) have for several years been organizing trainings on Cleaner Production and Energy Efficiency in Azerbaijan.
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 the 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 October 2011 a Thor Heyerdahl conference was organized in Baku, and in March 2012 a three month-long exhibition entitled “Thor Heyerdahl - the Kon-Tiki Man” opened at the National Museum of History of the Republic 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 received 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.
Georgia
Diplomatic relations were established on 5 June 1992. The embassy in Baku is also accredited to Georgia, and makes frequent visits to the country.
Statoil is one of the partners in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipe (BTC), as well as the South Caucasus gas pipe (SCP) stretching from Azerbaijan via Tbilisi to Erzurum in Turkey. Wilhelmsen Ships Service has permanent representation in Georgia. Clean Energy Group is involved in a project to develop the hydropower potential of the Adjaristsqali River and has an office in Batumi.
The Norwegian Mission of Rule of Law Advisers to Georgia (NORLAG), consisting of legal experts, has since 2004 assisted Georgian authorities in the reform of the judiciary. At present the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperates with the UNDP on a project in Georgia. ECON previously conducted a project aiming to draw foreign investments to Georgia’s hydropower sector.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has been active in Georgia since 1994, providing humanitarian assistance and protection to refugees and internally displaced persons. NRC activities include house construction and rehabilitation, free counseling and legal aid services and strengthening internally displaced children’s and youths’ opportunities for integration and equal participation in education and society.
The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) is currently supporting projects in several Eurasian countries, including Georgia and Azerbaijan, with the overall goal to contribute to renewal and internationalization of higher education in the cooperating countries. Strategic priorities are projects focusing on curriculum development, introduction of new teaching methods, quality assurance mechanisms and university management. A main purpose is to create long-lasting collaboration between institutions in Norway and the Eurasian cooperating countries.
CARE receives funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is currently involved in a project directed at helping IDPs after the war in 2008. Through social and economic initiatives CARE aims at ensuring the livelihood and quality of life of refugees. These include building of infrastructure, support to local organizations working with the integration of IDPs and community development, particularly women, and lending out agricultural equipment to villagers.