Canada launches Arctic Foreign Policy

Ottawa, Dec 7 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced the launch of Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy.

The Arctic Foreign Policy, a diplomatic strategy for Canada’s engagement in and on the Arctic, provides expanded presence and partnerships to address current needs and the flexibility to adapt to future challenges, the foreign minister said in a new release, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Arctic Foreign Policy comprises four foreign policy pillars: Asserting Canada’s sovereignty; advancing Canada’s interests through pragmatic diplomacy; leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges; and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy, according to the release.

One of the core priorities for the Arctic Foreign Policy is to deepen cooperation across the North American Arctic, the release added, saying that the relationships in this region are unique due to geographical proximity and the ancestral relations that exist among Indigenous Peoples.

The North American Arctic encompasses the vast northern territories of three countries: Alaska (the US) in the west, northern Canada in the centre, and Greenland (the Kingdom of Denmark) in the east.

The Canadian Arctic covers 40 per cent of Canada’s territory and more than 70 per cent of its coastline and is home to many Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, who have inhabited this land since time immemorial.