Foreign Minister Soini to Arctic Council meeting in Fairbanks

Press release 78/2017
3 May 2017

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will attend the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, on 10–11 May.

The meeting will be chaired by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The foreign ministers of all Arctic States are expected to attend the meeting. An Agreement on Enhancing Arctic Scientific Cooperation will be signed at the meeting. In addition, Finland will take over the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council from the United States.

The Task Forces of the Arctic Council will submit their reports at the meeting on such issues as environmental monitoring, identification of risks of pollution, preparedness for environmental accidents, sustainable development, conservation of natural diversity, and special questions related to the Arctic sea areas. The reports will include recommendations on the basis of which the Foreign Ministers will decide about possible further actions.

The Arctic Council is a body for intergovernmental cooperation for the Nordic countries, Russia, Canada and the USA. Representatives of the Arctic indigenous peoples also participate in the Council’s work. The Chairmanship lasts two years.

Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister, tel. +358 46 923 4581 and Aleksi Härkönen, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, tel. +358 50 462 4471.