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Estonia : Estonia began preparations for applying for observer status on the Arctic Council
Publish Date : 05-Feb-2020
Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu opened the first meeting of the supra-agency working group that is making preparations for Estonias bid for an observer status on the Arctic Council, highlighting Estonias interest in the Arctic and cooperation with like-minded countries.
Considering the increasing challenges coming from the Arctic, it is a chance for Estonia for a more international engagement with issues related to the Arctic. The Arctic Council is one of the most important cooperation forums dealing with the issues of the region and addressing the sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic. Ensuring the sustainable development of the Arctic requires cooperation between states and broad political support, and this should not be a task for the Arctic countries alone, instead, it should also be a responsibility of the states close to the Arctic and international organisations, Reinsalu said.
According to the foreign minister, applying for observer status allows for an improved realisation of Estonias academic and business competence. The foreign minister also noted the increased importance of the Arctic Council in the foreign policy of the European Union and added that applying for observer status on the Arctic Council would enable more in-depth cooperation with like-minded states in our immediate neighbourhood and beyond.
On 14 November 2019, the government approved the plan to apply for observer status on the Arctic Council. Applying for observer status on the Arctic Council is in concordance with the Estonian foreign policy strategy for 2030 and the governments strategy. The eight-member Arctic Council is one of the most important cooperation forums dealing with the issues of the region and it addresses the sustainable development and environmental protection of the region. The Arctic Council has 13 observer members that are mostly tasked with observing the work of the council and taking part in working groups. Since May 2019, the work of the Arctic Council is led by the Iceland Chairmanship.
