“Epochal step”: Greenland presents its own security strategy “Kuwait death ship” pollutes the air near Cape Town: animal rights activists shocked

Greenland has presented its own foreign, defense and security strategy. The Greenland government presented its strategy on Wednesday under the title ‘Nothing about us without us’. The largest island in the world wants to take more responsibility for its foreign policy. So far, Denmark has had the decision-making power on foreign and security issues. According to the leading Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq, it was an “epochal step” and the first strategy of its kind since 2011. Its development took several years.

Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom, but is largely autonomous. It has its own government and parliament. However, Denmark still makes the decision when it comes to foreign and security policy, even as Copenhagen tries to involve Greenland more closely in Arctic affairs, for example in the Arctic Council. With the new strategy, Greenland wants to set its own goals for the period 2024 to 2033. This includes priorities such as peace in the Arctic and cooperation with NATO. Denmark and the US are described as Greenland’s most important partners and allies.

“The world no longer looks like it did a short time ago. Greenland no longer looks as it once did,” wrote Greenland’s Minister of Independence and Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt, in the foreword to the strategy. In it she referred to the consequences of Brexit, the corona pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other conflicts that had an impact or potential impact on Greenland. She also discussed climate change and the challenges associated with it.

The desire for far-reaching autonomy is extremely great in Greenland. However, the island with its almost 57,000 inhabitants is still highly dependent on Copenhagen financially. The island still does not have the resources to stand on its own two feet.

(sda/dpa)