United Front in Arctic

"The five coastal states of the Arctic Ocean will continue to contribute actively to the work of the Arctic Council and other relevant international fora." This was the conclusion when top representatives of the five coastal states bordering the Arctic Ocean- Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States of America- met at the political level in Ilulissat, Greenland from May 27 to 29 for the Arctic Ocean Conference. The five nations discussed the challenges that climate change poses in the Arctic Ocean region.

The declaration from the conference stresses commitment to the responsible management of the Arctic Ocean and that existing international legal frameworks such as the Law of the Sea and international fora such as the Arctic Council provide a foundation for strengthening cooperation.