Interview with the Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark to Georgia

The recent opening of the Embassy to the Kingdom of Denmark in Georgia further contributes to the growing relationship between Georgia and Denmark. In this interview, Ambassador Anne Toft Sørensen spoke to Diplomat Magazine about the factors that necessitated opening the Embassy in Georgia, the priority directions for the Embassy under her leadership, and other topical issues.

In your capacity as Denmark’s first resident Ambassador in Georgia, you must have a tremendous responsibility. What are your hopes and aspirations in your role?

Thank you for this question. I will start on a personal note and stress how professionally rewarding it is to be able to dedicate 100 % of my time to Georgia and Armenia. I covered Georgia and Armenia for six and a half years from our embassy in Ukraine, so when I was offered the position as Denmark’s first resident Ambassador in Georgia it was truly an honour and I immediately accepted. Both countries are small democracies in a geopolitically challenging region. Denmark is a small country as well and we understand the importance of solid and reliable strategic alliances and partnerships. Denmark has chosen to open the embassy at a crucial moment for both Georgia and Armenia looking towards the European Union. I am confident that the opening of the Embassy in Tbilisi offers a new impetus to Danish-Georgian bilateral relations.

I especially hope to strengthen our existing ties among our people on various levels, whether culturally or politically. Trade and commercial ties are also an area that I would actively like to develop. For instance, Denmark was once entirely dependent on imported oil and other fossil fuels. Today, Denmark is considered a global frontrunner in the green transition. Since 1980, Denmark has managed to decouple its economic growth from its overall energy consumption. In four decades, the national GDP of Denmark has more than doubled while energy consumption has only increased by 6 %. Over the same period, water consumption decreased by 40%. The numbers prove that it is possible to create growth without using more energy. Investing in renewable energy, water, energy efficiency, and resource optimization makes good economic sense and I believe that Georgia could benefit from our experience. Green business is good business.

What made it possible for the Danish Embassy to open in Georgia? Please tell us more about the whole process.

First of all, I would like to stress that it has been a priority for many years for Denmark to open an embassy in Tbilisi. Georgia has been one of two priority countries for Danish development cooperation under the Danish Neighbourhood Programme since 2017. However, the decision to open the embassy was taken after Russia brutally invaded Ukraine last year. We understood that the European security architecture, including Denmark’s, was threatened by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Georgia had this painful experience already in 2008 and Georgia’s territorial integrity is still being violated to this day. In a broad parliamentary agreement on Danish security policy, Denmark took a number of measures to strengthen the Danish defence preparedness and the possibilities for manoeuvring in the new geopolitical situation. This included strengthening diplomatic presence in the countries neighbouring Russia, especially here in Georgia whose European aspirations have been strong and unwavering for many years. Having a stable and secure neighbourhood in Europe’s east is a shared objective of the Denmark and the EU. In these turbulent times in Europe and South Caucasus as a region, Denmark wants to stand alongside our like-minded partners and friends like Georgia. We are here to support you.

What are your impressions about Georgia and do you find time to actually leave the embassy and explore it?

Indeed, I have been overwhelmed setting up the embassy from scratch. I have so far been able to visit Western Georgia and Kakheti, but there are numerous places that I look forward to exploring. Even though Denmark and Georgia have very different histories and geography, I find that we have many things in common. For instance, Georgians love nature and so do Danes. In Denmark we do not have mountains but we are surrounded by the sea and we spend any free time we have there. Similarly, in Georgia there are breath-taking mountains everywhere and Georgians share the same passion as Danes for spending time connecting with nature. Also, the food and wine in Georgia are, of course, outstanding. In Denmark we are also very proud of our Nordic cuisine and I am proud to say that several years in a row Danish restaurants have been selected as the best in the world. Although we do not have the concept of “supra” in Denmark, food and wine are central to any gathering. We call it “hygge” which is about taking time away from the daily rush to be together with family and friends to relax and enjoy life. Georgian hospitality and traditions are about the same values, I find. Finally, I am also still emerging into the rich history of Georgia and am impressed by the awareness among Georgians about their ancient roots. Likewise, we, Danes, are also very proud of our history. Denmark has the second oldest monarchy in the world. Our state appeared in 965, on the so called Jelling stones, two Viking age rune stones with inscriptions regarding the first Danish king, Harold I, also known as Harold “Bluetooth”. And yes, today’s Bluetooth was invented by Danes and is named after our first Danish king.

What are the key areas of cooperation between Denmark and Georgia and where do you see opportunities for them to deepen and strengthen their relations?

Denmark has been a strong and clear supporter of Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and its Euro-Atlantic integration. For many years the central part of our engagement in Georgia has been the Danish Neighbourhood Programme. The two guiding themes for the programme have been to promote human rights and democracy, and strengthen sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Under these two thematic strains, Denmark is still supporting Georgia in the fields of decentralisation, human rights, civil society, inclusive labour market and energy investments. From 2017-2021 we allocated EUR 27,5 million to support Georgia’s reform process. The Neighbourhood Programme has been developed with relevant partners in Georgia and builds on the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as trade and commercial interests. The preparations for the fifth phase of our Neighbourhood Programme are currently being planned. Last month, the Danish Ministry of Defence also launched a new four-year project supporting Peace and Stabilization in Georgia. The programme serves the goal of strengthening Georgia’s defence capabilities and resilience. The programme has a budget of app. EUR 10 million. Our Democracy Fund will also soon launch a call for applications from Georgian civil society. Recent events in March have shown that it is even more relevant and timely.

Considering this issue is published in March, which is Women’s history month, I would like to ask you about your journey as a woman in international affairs, what challenges if any, have you experienced in the workplace and what advice would you give to women starting out in their careers in politics and diplomacy?

As a mother of two and a manager, I know that women make excellent organizers, are good managers and are very hard-working. Throughout my professional career, I have, of course, encountered some biases. Most common example is when I enter a room, my counterpart assumes I am the secretary and turns to my male or older colleague, assuming that he or she is the decision-maker. My first advice to women is to share their stories. This is particularly important if you’re holding a high-level position. When other women see the road you have travelled, it might inspire them to find the power to reach their own goals too. Secondly, when you see discrimination or an unequal playing field, stand up and speak out. Staying silent is the same as being complacent. Thirdly, women need to actively share opportunities and work together to promote themselves and each other. If you’re in a leadership or executive role, look for women who would benefit from an upcoming opportunity and recommend them. Advocate for women as decision-makers.

In Denmark, we have come a long way but we still struggle when it comes to e.g. equal pay, women in leadership, and in representation across sectors. For instance, Danish women earn on average 7 % less than men in the same job and same workplace and Danish women constitute only 19 % of management board members. There is still work to do. So, to all the strong Georgian women I have met during my first months in Georgia, believe in yourselves and each other. Encourage each other to reach out for new opportunities, apply for promotions, ask for a raise, seek mentors and keep reminding each other of your talents and abilities.

Compared to Denmark, Georgia significantly lags behind in gender equality and women’s rights. What can be done to improve this situation?

Gender equality is a core value for Denmark because gender equality is at the heart of democratic, equal and prosperous societies. Promoting gender equality and women’s rights has been an integral part of Danish development cooperation for many years. International Women’s Day that we just marked was an important day to highlight that meaningful participation in the public debate is a way to be empowered to create change. I can’t help recalling the captive picture of the Georgian woman who was waving the EU flag during the recent protests on the International Women’s Day. Investing in women is one of the best things a society can do. Empowered women take care of their families and communities, but they are also important to overall economic productivity. Rural women make up a quarter of the world’s population. They contribute to agricultural production, food security, climate advocacy, enterprise, and citizenship.

Let me put it this way, if you build a woman, you build more than the person, you build a community. So this is where the focus should be, I believe. The 2021 local elections in Georgia were a significant step towards more women in local politics. Women’s representation in municipal councils grew almost two-fold reaching a historic 24 percent. I hope this trend continues in the future. It is equally important that the voices and perspectives of women are heard in the public debate and has a real impact in the local decision-making. This is also why Denmark continues to support Georgia’s decentralization through the programmes under our implementing partner, UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Which factors do you think are hindering Georgia’s European integration and how do you think they can be overcome?

Denmark firmly supports Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, since we believe that having a democratic and prosperous partner like Georgia in the South Caucasus is in our interest as well. To this end, by opening an embassy in Tbilisi, Denmark is sending a clear message to the people of Georgia about our unwavering support for Georgia’s European aspirations. As it happens, I arrived in a historic moment when Georgia has received European perspective and is closer to achieving the EU candidate status than ever before. The Georgian population has consistently expressed its overwhelming support for European integration for over a decade. The roadmap to achieving this is laid out in the Association Agreement and the 12 Recommendations from the European Commission. I genuinely hope that Georgia’s citizens, from all political sides and walks in life, will unite around achieving this goal, as European integration is the clear choice of the Georgian people which was so explicitly demonstrated during the recent events in March. Denmark will not abandon Georgia, on the contrary, we are stepping up our engagement in these times where our support matters more than ever before, for Georgia’s pursuit of democracy and Euro-Atlantic integration.