Relationship dossier
Norway
Saudi Arabia
Relationship assessment
Bilateral engagement coexists with Norwegian restrictions on arms exports and disagreements over Yemen and human rights.
Norway toward Saudi Arabia
-15Norway agreed in 2015 to establish a joint commission with Saudi Arabia for economic, cultural and technical cooperation. In 2018, Norway stopped issuing new export licences for military equipment to Saudi Arabia, citing the situation in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia toward Norway
+10Saudi Arabia agreed in 2015 with Norway to establish a joint commission for economic, cultural and technical cooperation, providing a framework for bilateral engagement.
Overall relationship
0The relationship combines a bilateral framework for economic, cultural and technical cooperation with political friction over Yemen and human rights. Norway's 2018 restriction on new military export licences to Saudi Arabia is a notable point of strain; the breadth and durability of practical cooperation are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Norway and Saudi Arabia have maintained bilateral engagement, including a 2015 agreement to establish a joint commission for economic, cultural and technical cooperation. Relations have also faced friction over human rights and the war in Yemen: Norway stopped issuing new export licences for military equipment to Saudi Arabia in 2018, citing the situation in Yemen. The scale and implementation of bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Areas of tension
- Norway's concerns about the war in Yemen and its 2018 halt to new military export licences for Saudi Arabia.
- Norwegian criticism and concern regarding human rights in Saudi Arabia.
Key developments
Norway and Saudi Arabia agreed to establish a joint commission for economic, cultural and technical cooperation.
Norway stopped issuing new export licences for military equipment to Saudi Arabia, citing the situation in Yemen.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of the joint commission and related bilateral agreements are unclear.
- The extent of current bilateral cooperation beyond the commission is unclear.