Greenland and Faroe Islands Get More Active and Prominent Roles in the Arctic Council
"We want to give, on behalf of the Kingdom of Denmark, a more prominent and active role to Greenland and the Faroe Islands regarding the Arctic Council," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said during a press briefing. (Photo: News Øresund - Sofie Paisley)
Greenland and the Faroe Islands will get a more active and prominent role in the Arctic Council, Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen said during a press briefing Thursday.
Greenland and the Faroe Islands are sovereign territories under the Kingdom of Denmark and have extensive self-government, but most foreign and security issues are handled by Copenhagen under the Realm of the Danish Crown.
"We want to give, on behalf of the Kingdom of Denmark, a more prominent and active role to Greenland and the Faroe Islands regarding the Arctic Council," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said during a press briefing, according to Reuters.
With these elevated roles, Greenland will speak first at future Council meetings, followed by the Faroe Islands and ending with Denmark, while Greenland also would be the main signatory to any declarations.
"We will get a greater and more central role, which has long been the wish in Greenland," said Greenland Premier Mute Bourup Egede.
The Arctic Council was founded in 1996 and is a high-level intergovernmental forum. The Council consists of all the eight countries with sovereignty over the lands within the Arctic Circle: Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.
