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In the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the activities of the Arctic Council have been largely paralyzed since March 2022, as six of the seven circumpolar countries announced a boycott of Russia. In addition, Russia is not only boycotted in this Arctic organization. Against this background, Russia and its current eastern and southern allies are seriously considering the establishment of a new “Eastern” Arctic Council with the participation of young and dynamic BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries.
The Arctic Council was established in 1996. This includes Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Canada, Norway, Russia, the United States, Finland and Sweden. The chairman of the organization changes every two years. The six permanent working groups of the Council deal with sustainable development, the elimination of pollution in the region, the conservation of animals and plants, the protection of the marine environment, the monitoring of the Arctic environment, and the prevention and elimination of emergencies.
The working group actively involved their umbrella and other partners in their work, and young people and young scientists played an important role in this regard. One of the partners is Arctic University. However, some international partners suspended the membership of 55 Russian structures in the Arctic University project, while at the same time accepting certain scientists under a neutral banner.
In March 2023, the Russian authorities adjusted the way of international cooperation in the Arctic. The Russian Federation has deleted the reference to the Barents Sea Commission on the basis of the Arctic national policy of the Euro-Arctic Region and the Arctic Council as of 2035. In September, Russia withdrew from the Barents Sea Council. Young people have also played a prominent role in scientific research and volunteer activities of this councils.
In February 2024, Russia decided to suspend the payment of annual contributions to the Arctic Council until the intergovernmental organization continues its full work. The amount we are talking about is about 100 thousand U.S. dollars. However, this continuation is almost hopeless. The Tribal Wisdom of the American Indians, passed down from generation to generation, says: “When you find yourself riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to land.”
After Sweden joined the NATO alliance, it turned out that among the 7 members of the Arctic Council, 8 represented the alliance. Russia has already opposed NATO in the hybrid warfare in Ukraine, and there is almost no point in cooperating with opponents and unfriendly countries.
It turns out that on the other side of the Earth, there are many new allies for Russia, the young and dynamic BRICS countries and the SCO countries. According to the United Nations, Russia maintains diplomatic relations with 191 countries. Most of them officially have friendly status.
In addition to Russia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) also includes 17 countries of different status (members, observers, partners) in the Middle East and Far East, and Asia. The BRICS countries include 8 countries other than Russia, and dozens of other countries have candidate status and intend to join the SCO.
What is the point of Russia’s attractiveness among new allies?
For ten years, the national elites seeking to maintain a unipolarity have been making great efforts to isolate Russia politically, economically, and humanely, but it is still an open country, and in this regard, most of the world’s population is with Russia.
People in every part of the Earth hope that justice will replace the dominance of force in international relations. The previous unipolar and unjust world order will only deepen the gap between wealth and poverty. The world population is tired of the aggressive policies of countries that consider themselves as judges to formulate a sand rule.
It is worth mentioning the peacekeeping and humanitarian situation in Russia. As the Russian army and rescuers participated in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations to resolve serious inter-ethnic and religious conflicts and eliminate the consequences of earthquakes, floods and fires, thousands of lives were saved.
Russia is an interesting country in every sense
Another confirmation of this is the World Youth Festival, which is held in Sochi in early March. 20,000 participants, half of whom will be foreign boys and girls, will show the country to the world and explore it in new ways. The World Youth City is preparing to host from more than 180 countries, which is an absolute record.
At the World Youth Festival, experts from Russia and abroad discussed the new opportunities and challenges faced by BRICS members in the era of global development. The BRICS Research Committee became a partner of this event. The experts discussed the prospects of globalization and the reverse process (de-globalization) and how young people can contribute to the new world order on the basis of mutual respect and support.
This is another very interesting thing. The World Youth Festival held the “urban area” for the development of “industrial” meta-games (a.k.a simulations) to provide players with leadership management. According to the festival organizers, “The game shapes a real state, and its development depends on the player’s ability to plan and manage resources. Participants must take into account the needs of residents, maintain financial sustainability and ensure the environmental safety of their cities. At the same time, players face various challenges, including economic downturns, environmental crises or natural disasters.”
This new international festival is needed to save the “Arctic country”! Of course, World Youth Festival is a confident step towards the creation of a new “Eastern” Arctic Council. We hope so. #WYF2024
Let’s see how big the political and other footprints of this amazing event will be.
I’m really impressed by how the younger generation is stepping up to shape the future of Arctic cooperation! Their enthusiasm and commitment are exactly what we need right now. Let’s support their amazing ideas! 🙌🌟