Parliamentarians from the eight Arctic states recently gathered in Ottawa (Canada) and unanimously elected Progress Party MP Morten Høglund new Chair of the inter – parliamentary Arctic committee.

The first Parliamentary Conference concerning Arctic cooperation was held in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1993 and is attended by representatives from the national parliaments of the Arctic states and the European Parliament. The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR), which is responsible for the work between conferences, started its activities in September 1994 and closely monitors how the governments implement the Conference Statement, and take new initiatives to further Arctic cooperation. The Committee participates in the meetings of the Arctic Council as an observer.

 

At a meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR) in Ottawa on 16 November, Morten Høglund, the Progress Party`s spokesperson on foreign affairs and member of the Storting (The Norwegian Parliament), was unanimously elected new Chair of the Committee. It is the first time that a Progress Party MP party holds this position.

 

– It is a great honor for me to be elected and to take over the Chair for this important Committee, says Høglund in a statement.  -Issues that are important to look into and discuss are many. A special focus on oil and gas, fisheries and the environment are natural. - The Arctic is a region with vast natural resources, and is attracting increased international attention, comments Høglund.

 

The other members of the Arctic Committee are parliamentarians from all the eight Arctic states and from the European Parliament. Morten Høglund will take over his new position from the Finnish MP, Hannes Manninen on February 22, 2011. Høglund says he is looking much forward to start the work, and underlines that the High North and Arctic issues have been high on the agenda for the Progress Party for several years. It is the area of most strategic importance to Norway, and we must therefore take an active role in the Arctic.

 

Learn more about the work of The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR) here: http://www.arcticparl.org/