Canada plans to work more closely with the United States in the Arctic to ensure regional security in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia, the local government announced on Friday. TASR informs about it according to a report from the Reuters news agency. As part of the renewed strategy, Canada will appoint an ambassador for the Arctic and open new consulates in Anchorage, Alaska, and Nuuk, Greenland, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark.
The Canadian Arctic covers an area of more than 4.4 million square kilometers and is almost uninhabited except for a few towns and ports. Less than 16 percent of the waters are adequately surveyed. The 37-page strategic document mentions Russian aggression, Chinese ambitions in the region and the effects of global warming, which could open up new shipping lanes.
“The North American Arctic is no longer free of tension. Canada must work even more closely with its closest ally, the US, to keep its North American homeland safe.” it is stated further in the document.
The newly elected US President Donald Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week and said they discussed the Arctic, among other topics. Canada will explore new opportunities for cooperation with the United States in areas such as energy security, supply chains, climate change and critical minerals.
