Denmark or Greenland to lead upcoming Arctic Council chairmanship?

Greenlandic and Danish flags fly side by side. (Pixabay)

A recent report from the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) sheds light on an ongoing debate within the Kingdom of Denmark regarding who should lead the Arctic Council’s upcoming chairmanship. As the Kingdom of Denmark — encompassing Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands — prepares to take over from Norway in 2025, tensions have arisen over Greenland’s bid to assume a leading role. With Greenland pushing for greater autonomy, the Kingdom’s internal negotiations and the outcome of this power struggle will have significant implications for Arctic diplomacy and the region’s future governance.

• Greenland, which is geographically in the Arctic and has deep-rooted cultural ties there, believes it should play a central role in representing the Kingdom in the Arctic Council. Historically, Denmark has led the Arctic Council’s representation on behalf of the Kingdom.
• Greenland recently released its Arctic strategy, which emphasizes its right to participate independently or as the leading entity in Arctic Council affairs. Greenland insists that the Kingdom’s Arctic strategy should be crafted only after recognizing Greenland’s position.
• Greenland has called for the Kingdom’s Arctic ambassador to be Greenlandic and appointed by Greenland’s government. This demand, which Denmark initially resisted, has become a focal point in the power struggle, emphasizing Greenland’s desire for increased sovereignty in Arctic matters.
• Despite its ambitions, Greenland’s limited resources could necessitate close collaboration with Denmark to manage the Council’s responsibilities effectively, particularly amid complex geopolitical dynamics influenced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.