TORONTO. Just a year after the Russian army invaded Ukraine, the two-day Arctic360 conference in Toronto officially opened on Thursday with another major absentee: Russia. The annual gathering, which brings together many stakeholders from the circumpolar world, took place in a regional context amid high geopolitical tensions.

Arctic360 – a think tank with predominantly indigenous leadership – provides an annual opportunity to initiate discussions between governments, indigenous organizations and the private sector on development in the Arctic.

Under the main theme “Accelerating Collaboration, Innovation and Opportunity”, the fourth edition will bring together delegations and ambassadors from the Nordic countries, as well as senior officials from Canada, Greenland and the United States.

Therefore, the round tables bring together several diplomats from the Nordic countries, such as the ambassadors in Canada, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Also of note were the presence of Louis Crashock, senior Arctic official from the United States, Kenneth Høeg, Greenland government representative, and Heidi Kutz, Arctic Canada official.

The presence of a former Canadian Secretary of Defense

Several crucial issues are discussed, including new forms of security cooperation between circumpolar states, while the Arctic Council remains paralyzed since the war in Ukraine. In March 2022, because of the invasion of Russian troops, Western countries froze their cooperation with Moscow, which after all chairs the international organization.

Remember that the Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum composed of eight Arctic countries (Canada, Denmark, United States, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia) and six international organizations of indigenous peoples as permanent participants. Its task is to discuss environmental and development issues.

But beyond the international crisis, which is also having an impact in the Arctic, the conference will deal with issues of economic development in the region. The Ambassadors of Japan and South Korea to Canada arrive to explain business opportunities in the Arctic Circle, which are becoming increasingly accessible to Asian nations. It is mainly about sea routes and resource development.

For two days, Arctic3060 will address a series of meetings where stakeholders will discuss multiple challenges that connect the needs and realities of Indigenous communities, including creating supply chains over 60^e Parallel or critical infrastructure requirements.

Other considerations on the menu: innovation in arctic territory, entrepreneurship among young indigenous people, reconciling resource exploitation with environmental protection. Note that former Canadian Secretary of Defense and Canadian NATO Association member David Collenette is part of the North American Arctic Strengthening Panel.

The Arctic360 conference will take place on February 22-23, 2023.