West Nordic Council

The West Nordic Council (Danish: Vestnordisk Råd, Greenlandic: Nunat Avannarliit Killiit Siunnersuisoqatigiiffiat, Faroese: Útnorðurráðið, Icelandic: Vestnorræna ráðið) is a cooperation forum of the parliaments and governments of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. It was initially founded in 1985 as the West Nordic Parliamentarian Council of Cooperation but the name was changed in 1997. The council comprises six MPs from each nation appointed by their respective parliaments. The annual general meeting of the council rotates between the members and is its highest authority. The work and activities of the Council are organized by a three-member presidium of which the president of the council is a member. The current (August 2017 to September 2018) president is Kári P. Højgaard.

West Nordic Council logo

The nations of the Council share a somewhat common recent history: Greenland and the Faroes are autonomous territories of Denmark and Iceland is a former Danish possession. They also share a similar economic base, all being dependent on fisheries. The Council's main objectives are:

• To promote West Nordic (North Atlantic) interests.
• To be guardians of north Atlantic resources and North Atlantic culture and to help to promote West Nordic interests through the West Nordic governments – not least with regards to the serious issues of resource management, pollution, etc.
• To follow up on the governments' West Nordic cooperation.
• To work with the Nordic Council and to be the West Nordic link in Nordic cooperation.
• To act as the parliamentary link for inter-West Nordic organisations, including Arctic parliamentary cooperation.[1]

The West Nordic Council is separate from the Nordic Council, although all of the members of the West Nordic Council are also members of the Nordic Council and there is some cooperation between the two.

General meetings

This list is not complete

• 31st general meeting: Runavík, Faroe Islands, August 2015; president Lars Emil Johansen
• 30th general meeting: Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, September 2014; president Bill Justinussen
• 29th general meeting: Greenland; 2013; president Unnur Brá Konráðsdóttir
• 28th general meeting: Faroe Islands; 2012; president Josef Motzfeldt
• 27th general meeting: Bifröst University, August 2011; president: Kári P. Højgaard
• 26th general meeting: Tasiilaq, August 2010; president: Ólína Þorvarðardóttir 2010–2011
• 25th general meeting: Runavík and Tórshavn, August 2009; president: Josef Motzfeldt 2009–2010
• 24th general meeting: Grundarfjörður, August 2008; president: Kári P. Højgaard 2008–2009
• 23rd general meeting: Nuuk, August 2007; president: Karl V. Matthíasson 2007–2008
• 22nd general meeting: Tórshavn, August 2006; president: Jonathan Motzfeldt 2006–2007
• 21st general meeting: Ísafjörður, 2005; president: Henrik Old 2005–2006
• 20th general meeting: Narsarsuaq, 2004; president: Birgir Ármannsson 2004–2005
• 19th general meeting: Eiði, 2003; president: Jonathan Motzfeldt 2003–2004
• 18th general meeting: Stykkishólmur, 2002; president: Jógvan á Lakjuni 2002–2003
• 17th general meeting: Nuuk, 2001; president: Hjálmar Árnason 2001–2002
• 16th general meeting: Tórshavn, 2000; president: Ole Lynge 2000–2001
• 15th general meeting: Brjánsstaðir, Skeiðahreppur, 1999; president: Jógvan Durhuus 1999–2000
• 14th general meeting: Ilulissat, 1998; president: Ísólfur Gylfi Pálmason 1998–1999
• 13th general meeting: Øravík, 1997; president: Jonathan Motzfeldt 1997–1998
• 12th general meeting: Vestmannaeyjar, 1996; president: Lisbeth L. Petersen 1996–1997
• 11th general meeting: Qaqortoq, August 1995; president: Árni Johnsen 1995–1996
• 1st general meeting: Nuuk, 1985; president: Jens Lyberth 1985–1986

Presidents

• Bryndís Haraldsdóttir 2016–present
• Lars Emil Johansen 2015–2016[2]
• Bill Justinussen 2014–2015[3]
• Unnur Brá Konráðsdóttir 2013–2014
• Josef Motzfeldt 2012–2013
• Kári P. Højgaard 2011–2012
• Ólína Þorvarðardóttir 2010–2011
• Josef Motzfeldt 2009–2010
• Henrik Old 2005–2006
• Birgir Ármannsson 2004–2005
• Jonathan Motzfeldt 2003–2004
• Jógvan á Lakjuni 2002–2003
• Hjálmar Árnason 2001–2002
• Ole Lynge 2000–2001
• Jógvan Durhuus 1999–2000
• Ísólfur Gylfi Pálmason 1998–1999
• Jonathan Motzfeldt 1994–1995
• Lisbeth L. Petersen 1993–1994
• Steingrímur J. Sigfússon 1992–1993
• Jonathan Motzfeldt 1991–1992
• Karin Kjølbro 1990–1991
• Friðjón Þórðarson 1989–1990
• Preben Lange 1988–1989
• Hans Jacob Debes 1987–1988
• Páll Pétursson 1986–1987

See also

• Hoyvík Agreement - an Iceland-Faroes free trade agreement that might be expanded to Greenland creating a West Nordic free trade zone.
• Arctic cooperation and politics

References

1. Vestnordisk Råd
2. Patursson, Steinar (13 August 2015). "Lars Emil Johansen formaður í Útnorðurráðnum" (in Faroese). Portal.fo. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
3. Eidesgaard, Marin (6 September 2014). "Nýggjur formaður í Útnorðurráðnum" (in Faroese). Portal.fo. Retrieved 10 April 2016.

External links

• The Council's website