The Kirkenes Conference 2024: Discussing the Way Forward for the High North
Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre is opening the Kirkenes Conference on February 21st in Kirkenes. (Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold / the Armed Forces).
The geopolitical situation in the High North and changed border-crossing conditions are topics found throughout the Kirkenes Conference, which Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre opened.
The annual Kirkenes Conference will be held on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The conference is an essential arena for discussions about the High North and the development of the Barents region. International relations in the Arctic will also be an important part of this year's conference.
PM Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor) is opening the conference today, Wednesday. According to the conference's website, he will talk about the changed relations in the High North following the halt in Norwegian-Russian cooperation, i.a.
The increased focus on Norwegian-Finnish and Norwegian-Swedish contact will be addressed, and the Swedish and Finnish MFA's will give their perspectives over video.
The changed geopolitical situation in the High North and new border-crossing conditions are topics found throughout the Kirkenes Conference.
The organizers have invited a panel of ambassadors to discuss this in detail. The panel comprises diplomats from the US, Germany, the UK, the EU, and MFA State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson.
Also part of the program are the mayors of border municipalities and counties, who will discuss the changes in neighboring relations with Russia.
Thursday's sessions discuss topics within energy, the green shift, business, how to create attractive communities in the North, and more.
Read the program in its entirety here.
