COPENHAGEN, 16 December 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) has appointed Norwegian parliamentarian Ola Elvestuen as the PA’s first Special Representative for Arctic Issues.
The newly established position will help ensure that the Assembly is kept informed of the latest developments and trends concerning the Arctic and will enhance the Assembly’s co-operation with other international organizations in this increasingly important region.
“Since members of the OSCE PA gathered in Tromso ten years ago to consider the specific environmental and security challenges faced by Arctic states, these challenges have only gained in prominence within both the Assembly and the international community,” President Kanerva said.
“The Paris Agreement on climate change provides even greater incentive for the creation of this new position, which will promote co-operation and better understanding among OSCE parliamentarians, particularly from the Arctic states. I am confident in Mr. Elvestuen’s leadership in this area and I look forward to working with him.”
Source: OSCE PA