France and Canada plan to open consulates in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk on Friday, deepening Arctic ties amid rising geopolitical tensions after US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his interest in acquiring the island.
Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, where the United States already has its own consulate, has alarmed European allies and sparked a debate over Arctic sovereignty and security, Reuters reported.
The diplomatic expansion signaled commitments by both countries to strengthen their Arctic presence and partnership with Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory that has become a focal point for Trump’s assertion that US control of the island is a national security priority.
Canadian Consulate in Greenland
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon will visit Greenland on Friday to attend the opening of the Canadian consulate.
Anand is scheduled to meet Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt in Nuuk to discuss Arctic security cooperation.
Canada announced its plans in December, when Anand said the country would open consulates in Greenland and Anchorage, Alaska, as part of efforts to strengthen its presence in the Arctic.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also pledged to strengthen Canada’s military and security presence in the Arctic.
French Consulate in Greenland
France, whose foreign minister is due to visit in the coming weeks, will be the first country from the European Union to open a consulate general in Greenland. Paris only has nine citizens on the island.
“France reiterates its commitment to respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the consulate plans during his visit to Greenland last year in a show of solidarity after Trump expressed interest in acquiring Greenland.
Its new Consul General Jean-Noel Poirier, who was previously in Vietnam and most recently in Libya, said the initial goal will be to listen to the needs of Greenlanders and focus on scientific and cultural initiatives.
“I’m not afraid of the cold, the 20-hour nights. I was in Libya last year and we had a few close calls. We got hit by mortar rounds, but here I won’t need a bulletproof vest or a helmet like in Tripoli, so it’s not a problem,” Reuters quoted Poirier as saying.
(with inputs from Reuters)
