Faroe Islands threaten Nordic cooperation exit

By Elías Thorsson November 11, 2024
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Faroese Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Chairman of the Greenland government’s Naalakkersuisut Mute Bourup Egede attend a press conference following a State Meeting at Aalborg Air Base, Jutland, Denmark, August 27, 2024 Ritzau Scanpix/Rene Schutze via REUTERS

High North News reports that the Faroe Islands and Greenland have expressed strong dissatisfaction with their exclusion from key Nordic foreign and security policy meetings, threatening to withdraw from Nordic cooperation unless granted full membership in the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

  • The Faroe Islands and Greenland were not invited to several significant Nordic summits, including meetings with the German Chancellor in May and with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May and October.
  • At the Nordic Council Session 2024 in Reykjavík, Faroese Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen criticized the disparity between the Nordic region’s stated commitment to equality and the exclusion of smaller nations from important discussions.
  • In protest, Greenland’s government boycotted the Nordic Council session, with Prime Minister Múte B. Egede and Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt absent, citing the lack of equal participation in crucial debates.
  • Both territories advocate for amending the Helsinki Treaty to secure equal participation in Nordic cooperation, stating that all member countries should be fully included in decision-making processes.
  • The Nordic Council has acknowledged the concerns and is considering a renewal of the Helsinki Treaty to address the issues raised by the Faroe Islands and Greenland.