The United States is set to open a small diplomatic mission in Norway later this year, with an “American Presence Post” in the northern city of Tromso becoming the only US facility above the Arctic Circle. The move comes at a time when competition for resources in the far north is increasingly tense due to rival claims made by China and Russia. The Tromso post will be filled by a single US diplomat with the title “Consul”. The Arctic Council that Tromso is based in recently saw Norway take it over after Russia led for two years.
Additionally, the US has moved to strengthen its relationship with Russia via a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Reykjavik, Iceland. Blinken expressed the US’s concern over Russia’s behaviour towards Ukraine, but Lavrov reportedly told Blinken to “get out of the European theatre” and accused the US of sowing chaos in Ukraine, Belarus and other former Soviet republics.
Russia has also sought closer ties to the Arctic region, as previously reported, by increasing the size and capability of its Northern Fleet and establishing airbases in the far north. Meanwhile, China attempted to secure a deal with Greenland, gaining access to the island’s lucrative mineral reserves. However, Denmark, which Greenland is a part of, rejected the offer. The move by the US to establish itself further north is an indicator that countries are attempting to establish various strategies for influence in the far north region.
textbf{Additional piece}
Russia and China’s increasing desire for access to resources and influence in the Arctic has seen the US up its efforts in the region, with the American Presence Post in Tromso being the latest move of many. However, while competition for resources may be intensifying, so too is the region’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change.
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, with the annual sea ice minimum declining by 13% per decade. The thawing of permafrost is releasing long-trapped carbon and methane gases which will only exacerbate the issue of global warming. Additionally, as sea ice declines and shipping becomes easier, there are concerns over the increased likelihood of oil spills as a result of increased tanker traffic.
While countries such as Russia and China have been keen to explore for fossil fuels in the Arctic, mining giant Rio Tinto recently announced plans to ramp up production of essential minerals for the tech industry in Greenland’s south. The company has also pledged to use renewable energy to power the mining of these minerals, indicating that some companies are attempting to remain environmentally conscious.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not the future of the Arctic will be one of cooperation or competition, and how effective diplomatic missions such as the American Presence Post in Tromso will be in securing their respective countries’ interests in the region.
Summary:
The US is set to open an “American Presence Post” in Tromso, Norway, which will be the only American facility above the Arctic Circle. This move comes at a time when competition for resources in the Arctic is tense, with rival claims made by China and Russia. The Tromso post will be the latest in a series of efforts by the US to increase its presence in the Arctic region. There are concerns over the region’s vulnerability to climate change, with the Arctic warming at a much faster rate than the rest of the planet. The Arctic is also at risk of increased tanker traffic, raising concerns over the likelihood of oil spills. Some companies, such as Rio Tinto, are attempting to mine for essential minerals in a more sustainable manner. It remains to be seen whether future relations in the Arctic will be characterized by cooperation or competition.
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The United States will soon open a small diplomatic mission in Norway, which will be its northernmost in the world and the only such facility above the Arctic Circle, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Thursday.
The move, which Blinken announced at a press conference in Oslo after attending a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, comes at a time when competition with Russia for the Far North’s resources is intensifying.
Blinken said the US would open an “American Presence Post” in Tromso, which is 350 kilometers (217 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. The position will open later this year and will be filled by a single US diplomat with the title “Consul”.
“We are here to work with like-minded allies to advance our vision of a peaceful, stable and cooperative Arctic,” Blinken said ahead of a meeting with Norway’s foreign minister, whose country is preparing to chair the Arctic Council that will oversee his Tromso is based in Norway.
Norway will take over the eight-nation grouping of countries bordering the Arctic after Russia led for two years and the bloc was largely ignored by other members due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained an office in Tromsø until 1994, but this was closed as part of a post-Cold War realignment of diplomatic institutions.
“The United States is a proud Arctic state and takes seriously our role as one of the stewards of the region,” US Ambassador to Norway Marc Nathanson said in a statement.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said Norway and the US have a “long and proud history” of cooperation on Arctic issues.
“I welcome US plans to establish a presence in Tromsø this year, which I believe will further strengthen our close cooperation,” she said.
https://fortune.com/2023/06/01/u-s-first-diplomatic-post-above-arctic-circle-norway/
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