Arctic States and Indigenous Permanent Participants convened today May 11^th for the 13^th Arctic Council meeting and issued a statement.

The meeting marked the conclusion of the Russian Chairmanship and beginning of the Norwegian Chairmanship.

Today, May 11^th, at the 13^th Arctic Council meeting in Salekhard, Russian Federation and online, representatives of the eight Arctic States and six Indigenous Permanent Participants convened to conclude the two-year Russian Chairmanship and mark the beginning of the Norwegian Chairmanship for the next two years (2023-2025).

The Arctic States issued a statement recognizing the historic and unique role of the Arctic Council for constructive cooperation, stability and dialogue between people in the Arctic region. The statement acknowledges the commitment to work to safeguard and strengthen the Arctic Council. It further recognizes the rights of Arctic Indigenous Peoples, their special relations to the Arctic and the importance of cross-border and people-to-people cooperation in the region.

The statement refers to the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials’ Report to Ministers adopted in Reykjavík in May 2021, the Reykjavík Ministerial Declaration and the Arctic Council Strategic Plan (2021 – 2030) and recognizes that these documents will form the basis for continuing Council activities in 2023-2025. The statement was issued in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Arctic Council and in recognition of the objectives and commitments expressed in the Declaration on the Establishment of the Arctic Council and subsequent Ministerial Declarations.

The Official Statement

Arctic Council Statement - On the occasion of the thirteenth Meeting of the Arctic Council

Salekhard, Russian Federation 11 May 2023

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Arctic Council, and in recognition of the objectives and commitments expressed in the Declaration on the Establishment of the Arctic Council and subsequent Ministerial Declarations, the Arctic States joined by the Permanent Participants met and issued the following statement.

1. Recognizing the historic and unique role of the Arctic Council for constructive cooperation, stability and dialogue between people in the Arctic region;

2. Acknowledging the commitment to work to safeguard and strengthen the Arctic Council;

3. Recognizing the rights of Arctic Indigenous Peoples and the unique role of the Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council, their special relation to the Arctic and the importance of crossborder and people-to-people cooperation in the region;

4. Recognizing the valuable work accomplished by the Arctic Council since the last Ministerial meeting, with special emphasis on progress achieved in defining the ways to implement the Strategic Plan (2021-2030);

5. Recognizing that the work plans outlined in the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials’ Report to Ministers adopted in Reykjavik in May 2021 along with the Reykjavik Ministerial Declaration and Arctic Council Strategic Plan (2021 – 2030), will form the basis for continuing Council activities for 2023-2025;

6. Extending the 2022-2023 work plan of the Arctic Council Secretariat, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat work plan, for the 2024-2025 period. Approving the Arctic Council Secretariat’s and the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat’s budgets for the 2024-2025 period;

7. Acknowledging the conclusion of the Russian Federation’s second Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, and accepting Norway’s offer to chair the Council in 2023-2025, and its offer to host the fourteenth meeting in 2025.

Source: Arctic Council

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