Relationship dossier
Norway
Syria
Relationship assessment
Humanitarian support amid strained relations over the Syrian conflict
Norway toward Syria
-25Norway supported international sanctions and pressure on the Syrian government, while providing humanitarian assistance for people affected by the Syrian conflict. Norway closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012.
Syria toward Norway
-30In 2012, the Syrian government expelled Norwegian diplomats, adding to the breakdown in bilateral relations. The extent of subsequent Syrian government engagement with Norway is unclear.
Overall relationship
-25The relationship has combined Norway’s substantial humanitarian engagement related to Syria with sharp diplomatic strain during the conflict, including Norway’s embassy closure and Syria’s expulsion of Norwegian diplomats. The durability of this pattern after Syria’s change of government is 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 has supported sanctions and international pressure on the Syrian government while providing substantial humanitarian assistance for people affected by the conflict. Relations were further strained when Norway closed its embassy in Damascus and Syria expelled Norwegian diplomats in 2012. The scope and status of bilateral engagement following Syria’s change of government are unclear.
Areas of tension
- Norwegian support for sanctions and international pressure on the Syrian government
- Syria’s 2012 expulsion of Norwegian diplomats and Norway’s embassy closure
Key developments
Norway closed its embassy in Damascus amid the Syrian conflict.
The Syrian government expelled Norwegian diplomats.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of current diplomatic engagement between the Norwegian and Syrian governments is unclear.
- The extent to which earlier sanctions and bilateral arrangements have changed is uncertain.