Speech at the Arctic Indigenous Peoples Dialogue
The Arctic Indigenous Peoples Dialogue is held in Brussels on Friday 18th October. On this occasion, Commissioner Damanaki delivered an opening speech on the importance of a dialogue between the EU and the representatives if Arctic indigenous people as the changes in the Arctic are a great concerns to the two parties, but first and foremost to the indigenous people.
Arctic Indigenous Peoples Dialogue
A good morning to you all.
I warmly welcome you to this dialogue meeting.
I attach great personal importance to this dialogue between the EU and representatives of Arctic indigenous peoples. Any changes affecting the Arctic, both good and bad, will be felt first and foremost by the people living there. So it is only logical that local people should have a prominent voice in any debate on the Arctic. This is particularly true for indigenous peoples, who have been living in this beautiful region for thousands of years.
I know that we will have different opinions on some issues. I realise that this will not just disappear by having this meeting. But that is exactly why we should enter into an open dialogue. Today, there are many different services from the Commission present to tell you about some of the actions we are already taking in the Arctic. And to hear your views, comments, reactions.
As you will see, our activities in the Arctic are quite broad-ranging, including programmes to encourage indigenous entrepreneurship but also studies on the public health effects of the impacts of climate change in the Arctic of on traditional knowledge and how to integrate this into policy-making.
Let me give you some examples:
• The Indigee 2 programme wants to encourage successful business based on indigenous values and encourage entrepreneurship amongst Indigenous young people. Through regional development funds, the EU is investing € 380 000 in this programme.
• The ARCRISK project looks at the linkages between environmental contaminants, climate change and human health in the Arctic. Through its research programme, the EU is contributing € 3,5 million to this programme, carrying almost 75% of the total cost.
You will hear more about these and other programmes this morning. But the one thing these programmes all have in common is that they deal with very concrete issues that are hopefully of benefit for you.
There will also be dedicated time for you to put forward any questions or concerns you have or particular issues you are facing. Our aim is to show you our engagement in the Arctic, but above all to learn from you. And there is a lot that we EU policymakers still have to learn about the region and the people who live there. I am convinced that the insights we will gain from you today and in future dialogues will greatly enhance our understanding of the Arctic. That is why I think it is important that we agree on how we will continue this dialogue before we all go home this evening. I would very much like to see this becoming an annual dialogue, so that we have a forum where we can speak openly and freely to each other as friends and partners.
I will now leave you under the chairmanship of Bernhard Friess, my director for Arctic affairs.
Thank you.
