Nordic Council prioritizes inclusion of Greenland, Faroe Islands, and Åland in security discussions

Nordic collaboration on security and defense is at the forefront of discussions within the Nordic Council. The President of the Council emphasizes the importance of including Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland in the decision-making process, proposing amendments to the Helsinki Agreement to enhance their involvement.

The Danish delegation has reiterated that the Council must devise solutions to ensure greater representation for these territories, as voiced by Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, a member of the Independence Party and the President of the Nordic Council. She is set to meet with political leaders in Nuuk, including Oddný Harðardóttir, the Vice President of the Council, who have expressed dissatisfaction over limited participation in Nordic cooperation. Discussions surfaced after Greenland announced intentions to withdraw from such collaboration due to exclusion from a Nordic consultation meeting hosted by the Swedish Prime Minister.

Bryndís outlined the ongoing efforts to ensure that all members feel represented in Nordic cooperation. She pointed out that the Faroe Islands have long sought independent membership within the Council. Currently, Greenland has only two representatives, in contrast to Denmark’s twenty, which has raised concerns about equitable representation.

The necessity for amending the Nordic constitutional framework, specifically the Helsinki Agreement established in 1962, is under consideration. Future attempts to articulate direct involvement of these regions will focus on specific issues pertinent to them.

With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, there is increased pressure among Nordic parliamentarians to strengthen cooperation on security and defense matters. Bryndís stressed the vital role of including Greenland in these discussions due to geographic, military, and climate change concerns in the region, particularly in light of the upcoming Arctic Roundtable in October.