Nordic missions abroad

Co-location of Nordic missions in New York could become a reality in 2018 if developments go the way Norway and the other Nordic foreign ministers are hoping. 

“New York and Geneva, where the UN has its main offices, are obvious choices for co-location of the Nordic countries’ missions. The Government will continue to work for closer cooperation between the Nordic countries and lower costs by sharing premises,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. 

In March 2013, the Nordic foreign ministers reiterated their strong political will for closer Nordic cooperation. Work on sharing premises between two or more Nordic countries is already underway at five missions: Yangon, Islamabad, Hanoi, Dhaka and Reykjavik. Further clarification is expected during the course of 2014. 

“The prime ministers of Norway and Denmark opened a joint embassy office in Myanmar last year. The Swedish authorities are also now represented at the office in Yangon. This is Nordic cooperation in practice,” said Mr Eide.

 At the same time, the Nordic countries are looking into the possibility of sharing premises in New York. Co-location of the Nordic countries’ consulates general and missions to the UN could be a reality as soon as 2018. 

Work has begun to remove technical and security obstacles so that Nordic co-location will be possible all over the world. 

The NB8 Agreement between the Nordic and Baltic countries regulates costs in cases where one country leases office space from another, and has made it easier to enter into agreements on co-location in existing missions.