Council signs agreement with Nordic Atlantic Cooperation

Orkney Islands Council has today (9 May 2023) signed an agreement with the Nordic Atlantic Cooperation - or NORA.

NORA’s focus is on making the North Atlantic a strong and dynamic part of the Nordic region, sustainable economic development and cross-border collaboration between the private sector and research and development bodies, extending to Canada and Scotland.

It provides funding to support regional co-operation on projects relevant to their own communities, with funding rounds in March and October each year.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with NORA follows on from an earlier decision by the Council to establish a £20,000 fund to test the mechanisms of supporting Orkney-based organisations to collaborate with projects and partners that are funded by NORA.

The MOU simply recognises that funding pot and the relationship that exists between OIC and NORA, committing both sides to working together collaboratively and facilitating the funding of projects that support the shared commitment of both organisations, cooperating on shared challenges including strategic initiatives and events and meeting annually to discuss issues of relevance and mutual interest.

The agreement was signed in the Council Chamber by Council Leader James Stockan and the Chairman of the Board of NORA Kristján Halldórsson.

Previous NORA projects have included work around youth migration, the storage of electronic data, sustainable energy, seaweed and tourism.

The funding from the Council will provide an opportunity for projects in Orkney to bring funding to the table to collaborate with NORA projects, as well as providing a test process for aligning funding with similar organisations internationally to achieve greater value and impact.

In the long-term NORA and the Council will then seek to present jointly on the outcomes of wider Orkney community participation in international projects at the Arctic Circle Assemblies and/or related events.

A full copy of the report on the £20,000 funding pot is available here - https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Files/Committees-and-Agendas/Policy-and-Resources/PR2022/PR22-11-2022/Item%2020%20Nordic%20Atlantic%20Cooperation.pdf

James Stockan, Leader of Orkney Islands Council, said: “The signing of this agreement is the latest stage in Orkney's ongoing commitment to developing and enhancing relationships with Arctic and Nordic countries.

“Our aim to maximise the ongoing promotion of potential economic and cultural opportunities for Orkney – particularly as we face the economic uncertainties of today’s post-Brexit UK.

“Signing of this agreement allow us to explore ways to bring our communities closer by aligning funding opportunities that will create impact within our respective areas."