On Tuesday 8th September, the Arctic Economic Council (AEC) Secretariat was officially opened in Tromsø by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende. The news has been released on the social media, both by the Norwegian MFA (via Twitter) and both by the Arctic Council (via Facebook), and by the Barents Observer.
"Today in Tromsø, the Secretariat of the Arctic Economic Council (AEC) was officially opened. Foreign Minister of Norway Børge Brende offered remarks at the event, and Senior Arctic Official Else Berit Eikeland spoke as part of a panel later in the day that also included AEC Chair Tara Sweeney and Director of the Arctic Council Secretariat Magnus Johannesson" the Arctic Council posted on Facebook.
The BarentsObserver has reported the comments of the Minister Brende after the cerimony: "Here in the Arctic, relations are based on cooperative approaches and the principles of international law and the Law of the Seas", Brende told BarentsObserver as he raised the flag of the new secretariat in a ceremony in Tromso, northern Norway, on Tuesday.
"This is the way we want it to continue", he underlined.
Together with Tara Sweeney, chair of the Arctic Economic Council, Brende this week opened the new Tromsø-based secretariat. "This is a historical event and breakthrough" in Arctic affairs, he underlined.
The Arctic Economic Council (AEC) is an independent organization that facilitates Arctic business-to-business activities and responsible economic development through the sharing of best practices, technological solutions, standards, and other information. The AEC works closely with the Arctic Council membership, providing advice and a business perspective on specific areas of cooperation in the circumpolar region. Its members represent a wide range of businesses operating in the Arctic—from mining and shipping companies to reindeer herding and Aboriginal Economic Development Corporations. This mix of interests ensures that our work is carried out in an inclusive and sustainable manner. The Arctic Economic Council was established in Yellowknife during the Canadian Chairmanship to the Arctic Council, in March 2014, following the approval of the initiative at a ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden in May 2013.