Exploring common Arctic solutions – in all sectors
The Arctic region is undergoing dramatic changes, and interest towards the northern areas is on the rise. This further increases the need to cooperate and find common solutions to questions concerning the Arctic region. In Finland, cooperation between different authorities and actors is straightforward and flexible, even to the extent that it raises interest also abroad. Arctic questions are intersectoral by nature.
International cooperation on aeronautical and maritime search and rescue is being strengthened in the Arctic
The Finnish Border Guard holds the Chairmanship of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) in 2017–2019. The objective of the Forum, founded in 2015, is to increase practical cooperation between the coast guards of the eight Arctic countries. By developing common modes of operation, the capabilities to respond to maritime accidents occurring in the Arctic region will be further improved.
Cooperation within the Arctic Coast Guard Forum has progressed at breakneck speed. The Arctic Search and Rescue Capabilities Survey, a meeting of the Arctic states' Rescue Coordination Centres, a training course for on-scene coordinators in the Arctic region, and an initiative on cooperation in the field of Arctic search and rescue education can be mentioned as some of the activities that have taken place during the first half of the Finnish Border Guard's Chairmanship.
Maritime safety, rescue operations and environmental protection
In March 2018, the Finnish Border Guard arranged a meeting of the heads of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum Members in Oulu. The senior management of all Arctic states' coast guards was represented in the meeting. The representatives concluded unanimously that the Arctic Coast Guard Forum is a key organisation for dealing with matters related to Arctic maritime safety.
At the end of the meeting, the heads of coast guards signed a joint statement. According to the statement, the purpose of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum is to promote maritime safety in the Arctic region. In the future, the Forum will focus on environmental damage prevention and environmental protection in the Arctic in addition to its current priority area, Arctic maritime and aeronautical search and rescue.
The heads of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum Members signed a joint statement in March 2018. It highlights the importance of cooperation. Photo: Patrick Kelley, United States Coast Guard
The Finnish Border Guard's Chairmanship of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum will culminate in the second Joint Live Exercise of the Forum, POLARIS 2019, to be held in Finland in the spring 2019.
Red Cross is also preparing for challenges in the Arctic region
The mission of the Red Cross is to help people in the event of disasters and accidents and to train people to prepare for them. The Red Cross operates all over the world – also in the Arctic region.
On the initiative of the Finnish Red Cross, a more detailed survey of the preparedness and capabilities of the Red Cross to work in the Arctic conditions is being carried out. The Finnish Red Cross has also launched its own project with the aim of supporting the Arctic cooperation and expertise in Finland together with various actors. The 'Developing Arctic Disaster Management Capabilities' project is part of the Arctic Maritime Safety Cooperation project (SARC) coordinated by the Finnish Border Guard and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Earlier, the Finnish Red Cross has showcased its activities for example in the Barents Rescue Exercise 2015 organised in Levi.
The challenges occurring in the Arctic region require common solutions and joint efforts. Cooperation between different administrative branches and actors is of key importance in all activities taking place in the Arctic region. This was one of the main themes also at the Red Cross Arctic Disaster Management seminar held in Oulu last March, which gathered together representatives of the national Red Cross societies in the Arctic region.
The Red Cross Arctic Disaster Management seminar, held in Oulu in March, had participants from Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Alaska. Photo: Finnish Red Cross
Strong network of Red Cross as support for authorities
The Red Cross Arctic Disaster Management seminar focused on dealing with risks and challenges occurring in the Arctic region. The participants shared a strong willingness to develop the capabilities of the Red Cross and to enhance cooperation in the northern areas. The seminar was the first of its kind, but certainly not the last. Through its strong and extensive network, the Red Cross plays a significant role in the Arctic region: it supports authorities in their work and complements the local expertise and preparedness for Arctic challenges.
The attendance of national cooperation partners from Finnish rescue departments, the shipping company Arctia, the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of the Interior in the seminar in Oulu highlighted the significance of strong cooperation. Photo: Finnish Red Cross
The seminar of the Red Cross and the meeting of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum were held in Oulu at the same time, which made it possible to arrange also a joint meeting of the expert group of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum and representatives of the Red Cross in conjunction with them. The joint meeting brought together experts in different fields to share their experiences and information on the Arctic region, and helped these two networks build important direct contacts with each other.
The Finnish Chairmanship of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum is supported by the SARC Project, which aims to develop practical level cooperation on Arctic maritime safety and promote Finnish Arctic expertise. The project is coordinated by the Finnish Border Guard and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Introduction to the Arctic Coast Guard Forum on YouTube: