Speech at the Arctic Dialogue Conference

Check against delivery

 

Illustration  “The Arctic and High North. Political perspectives”  

·        When the present Norwegian Government took office in 2005 we declared that the High North shall be the Government’s most important strategic priority area for foreign policy and shall contribute to positive developments in the North.  This was reconfirmed when the Government was re-elected last autumn.

·        For Norway the overall aim is to:

o   enhance knowledge in and about the north,

o   increase our activity and presence in the area, and

o   lay the foundations for sustainable economic and social development in the years to come.

 

Illustration: Map with the North Pole in the center 

·        This map illustrates Norway’s perspective of the High North. And today I am particularly pleased to be here to talk about our political perspectives on the Arctic and High North at the Bodø University College. The High North Centre for Business and Governance has, in only a few years time, managed to become somewhat of a hub for knowledge creation in Norway when it comes to Arctic and High North Issues.

·        Knowledge is at the core of our High North efforts. Knowledge is one of the most important building blocks in sustainable social and business development. It is essential that the knowledge institutions in the region are competitive, both nationally and internationally. It is important to develop the knowledge infrastructure in the High North.

·        I would also like to stress the importance of appropriate infrastructure for the potential of the High North is to be fully realised. Transport policy in the north is important for both offshore and onshore value creation.

·        We are also contributing to industrial development in the High North through specific measures aimed at releasing the potential of the region. You will hear more about this from Gunn Ovesen from Innovation Norway later today. 

·        Today Norway’s perspective on the High North is becoming more and more familiar, as interest in the Arctic region is growing fast. 

·        What happens in the Arctic is of global importance. The world population is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050. There will clearly be an increased demand for food, energy, minerals and other resources.

·        I will focus on three main aspects in my presentation here today:

-         The drivers behind the increased interest in the region – climate change, new sailing routes and petroleum resources;

-         The fundamentals of the legal and political situation in thtic, and

-         A region of peace and stability

 

Illustration: Svalbard 1928 - 2002 

·        The Arctic is not where the consequences of climate change will be most severely felt, but it is where they are first seen. The region is therefore very important for climate change research.

·        We encourage international cooperation in this field – more than a dozen nations are engaged in research activities year-round in Ny Ålesund at Svalbard; and we are developing an international centre for climate and environmental research in the High North in Tromsø. 

·        The melting of the ice is a severe challenge, but also creates new opportunities for commercial activities like shipping, extraction of oil and gas, fisheries and tourism. These activities create new technical, environmental and political challenges that will have to be dealt with. It is important that we develop appropriate regulations and guide the development.

 

Illustration: Arctic with new sailing routes   

·        This map illustrates the global character of the potential for shipping in the Arctic. This is also one example of the legitimate interests of non-Arctic states. Big economies like China, Japan and Korea, with high import and export volumes are following this development closely.

 

Illustration: German merchant ship through the Northeast Passage in September 2009, accompanied by Russian icebreaker 

·        This picture shows a German commercial freighter sailing along Russia’s northern coast last September, escorted by a Russian ice-breaker. Several logistic, commercial, technical, administrative challenges need to be resolved before this becomes an everyday event. 

·        We need knowledge to face up to these challenges. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have contributed to the establishment of the Centre for High North Logstics in Kirkenes in cooperation with the company Tschudi Shipping and the High North Centre for Business and Governance here at the University College of Bodø. 

·        We also need regulations and standards for design and equipment of ships operating in the Arctic region, as well as clear guidelines for training of personnel.  Therefore, Norway is working actively through the IMO (International Maritime Organisations) to update the Polar Code and make the code mandatory for ships operating in the Arctic region.

 

Illustration: Ilulissat. The five coastal states represented by foreign ministers

This is a photo of representatives of all the 5 coastal states including the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, at Ilulissat, Greenland in 2008. 

·        The region is covered by the principles and regulations enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This is also reflected in the Ilulissat Declaration where the Arctic Coastal states confirm that they are in full agreement on the fundamentals.

 

Illustration: Map of the Norwegian continental shelf, Continental Shelf Commission's Recommendation 

·        Again an example of the orderly process for governing the Arctic. Here you see the recommendation of the Commission on the Extension of the Continental Shelf with regard to Norway (see this map). There are questions to be clarified, but no disputes of principle. There is currently a wide international recognition of this process. 

·        During the last years several countries have presented what is commonly referred to as Arctic strategies. These policy documents are written in somewhat different national contexts. But strikingly, they reveal a fundamentally common approach, emphasising:

o   -         The primacy of international law

o   -         The need for adequate presence

o   -         The need for both conservation and development

o   -         The necessity of international cooperation

 

Illustration: Regional organizations. Logos of the Arctic Council and the Barents Council 

·        There are well established patters of international cooperation in the Arctic: I would like to mention in particular the Arctic Council and the Barents Council. 

·        The Arctic Council has proven itself to be an efficient instrument for providing guidelines, best practices and knowledge. And I think it is important to strengthen this work further.

·        In recent years, we have had extensive discussions on the role of observers in the Arctic Council. It is Norway’s view that the Arctic Council is served by having officially sanctioned observers. Formalisation of the status of observers strengthens the undisputed role of the Arctic Council as the leading Arctic circumpolar body.

·        The Barents Cooperation was established in 1993. Members include both state-level (four states) and regional (13 regions/counties) level. This dual level membership is a particular component of the Barents cooperation – it is an institution for and by the people who live in the Barents region.

Illustration: Map of the Arctic / Arctic Ocean with a 200-mile zone

·        In addition to refining the existing legal structure, there is a need to strengthen cooperation in specific areas and to develop political dialogue.

·        The Arctic seas are used for a variety of activities. Integrated ocean management is an essential tool in that context. As I have outlined, different stakeholders want access to the oceans in the High North. Conflicts of interest may arise between these sectors, and must be handled in a responsible way.

·        In Norway we are also very proud of the more than 30 years of fruitful cooperation between Norway and Russia on the management of joint stocks in the Barents Sea.  This long-term collaboration on responsible management provides great benefits for coastal communities on both sides of the border. Today we see that the biomass of cod is at the same high level as just after the Second World War. This is truly an illustration of the fruits that can be harvested from good cooperation in the Arctic.

·        Maintaining the situation of low tension is vital for this process. The Arctic today is a region characterised by close cooperation and the absence of conflict, an area of peace and stability.

·        I would like to summarise by underlining that:

o   The international legal framework in the High North is well established and should be respected by all nations.

o    Peace and stability are essential to Arctic cooperation.

o   We need to continue developing necessary international standards, not least for shipping and offshore activities

o   We need to continue developing the institutional framework for cooperation, in particular the Arctic Council.

o   We need to continue to develop systems for managing often colliding interest in the Arctic, such as the integrated management plan-approach, that make room for both scientific and political considerations. 

·        Looking at the program for this conference and the following study tour I feel certain that the discussions taking place here this week will be important in generating new ideas and solutions for the benefit of the Arctic and High North.

Thank you!