“Norway – Arctic frontrunner “
Norway has prepared the ground internationally for an enhanced focus on the Arctic, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said when presenting his government’s new High North policy document today. In the document, the region strengthens its position as Norway’s top area of priority.
In his presentation of the document named ” New Building Stones in the North”, the premier maintained that the Norwegian high focus on the North has helped open the eyes of many other countries. –We talk about the High North when we go to Brussels, Washington, Stockholm and many other places, Stoltenberg said.
Four of Mr. Stoltenberg’s cabinet ministers were present in the press conference held in the Polar Environmental Centre in Tromsø – Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Minister of Fisheries Helga Pedersen and Minister of Transport Liv Signe Navarsete.
Long-term focus
The new paper, a cross-cutting document covering the work of 12 government ministries, is a follow-up of the country’s High North Strategy from 2006. That outlined 22 points of priority, among them research, energy and international cooperation.
In his speech, Mr. Stoltenberg reiterated that the Norwegian High North Policy is a long-term policy, which outlines visions as well as concrete action. It covers local, regional, national and international perspectives, he said.
Tromsø
With the new document, the Norwegian Arctic city of Tromsø strengthens its position as Norway’s hub for Arctic activities. A new climate and environmental centre is to be established in the city as part of the Polar Institute. In addition, the city will also become the home port for the planned new icebreaking research vessel.
Tromsø is also the site for the secretariat of the Arctic Council, a body which is significantly strengthening its position in international Arctic cooperation.
EU-USA-Russia
For Norway, a small country with strategic interests stretching far into Arctic waters, cooperation with the four other states with Arctic coastlines is vital. In a recent speech to parliament, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said that Russia is a key axis in Norwegian High North policy and that Norwegian-Russian cooperation is developing positively. He also maintained that the Arctic could become an important part of Norway’s cooperation with the European Union. In addition, the new administration of Barrack Obama has already expressed commitment to fight climate change and to step up cooperation efforts in the Arctic.
For Norway, cooperation is a keyword within all the sectors outlined in the new strategy document.
