NATO in the High North

On February 26, 2021,the Netherlands Atlantic Youth organized:

NATO in the High North

On 26 February, the Atlantic Youth of the Netherlands held a digital seminar entitled NATO in the High North in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy in The Hague. In recent years, the Arctic has experienced a revival of interest, including from the Dutch government, which released its new Polar Strategy at the end of 2020. At the same time, Norway published its White Paper on the High North.

Norway’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Bård Ivar Svendsen, set the scene, drawing on his previous experience as Norway’s Ambassador for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs. The webinar also included an introduction by Svein Efjestad, Policy Director of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. A panel consisting of Norway’s Ambassador to NATO, Øystein Bø, the Netherlands’ Ambassador to NATO, Marisa Gerards, in addition to experts from both countries’ Ministries of Defence, discussed how allies can best continue to manage and maintain their vital security and other interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. The panel-debate aimed to cover some of the recent geopolitical developments in the Arctic and will highlight the strategic importance of the region for NATO. We also discussed policies and solutions by NATO and those of Norway and the Netherlands towards these challenges.

Lastly, members of the virtual audience had the opportunity to ask the panelists questions during an interactive Q&A.

Photo: Elias Engevik / Forsvaret / Norwegian Armed Forces