19 Regional Development. Together with the MFA and the Eurasia Foundation the Secretariat finances the American-Norwegian Northwest Russia Small Grants Initiative. The Board of the Barents Secretariat consists of one representative from each of the three Northern Norwegian regions and two observers from the MFA and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development respectively. The board makes the final decision on approval or rejection of applications. Smaller projects (amounts less than 200,000 NOK) have been left to the Secretariat to approve, but the Board has the opportunity to comment on the dispositions. In 2008 the sum was raised to 400,000 as a measure to strengthen the strategic role of the Board. Multilateral co-operation The fact that Finland, Russia and Sweden do not have a similar agency like the Norwegian Barents Secretariat is frequently mentioned as an important reason why the regional project cooperation within the BEAR is primarily a Norwegian-Russian matter. In order to among others boost multilateral links and cooperation the International Barents Secretariat was established (in operation since January 2008). It is headed by a Russian diplomat with one Swedish advisor. The International Barents Secretariat will be more than 60 percent funded by Norway. The other three Barents Countries will fund the secretariat on a 12.5 percent basis.
1.3.2
The Barents Secretariat as a centre of competence
Being a resource and competence centre for the various stakeholders in the Barents co-operation is one of the Secretariat’s two main functions, the other being the administrator of the project co-operation. The Barents Secretariat is an increasingly popular counterpart for lectures, advice and arrangement of study tours in the BEAR. First of all, the Secretariat serves its owners in their contacts with the Russian regions. With the increased interest for the High North nationally and internationally the number of visits to Kirkenes has increased, and the Barents Secretariat is often used as a facilitator for visitors to the Norwegian MFA. Frequently visits to Kirkenes
NIBR Report 2008:4
