Kicking off 2025: Interview with ACS Director Mathieu Parker

How’s the Arctic Council kicking off 2025?

We are starting the year with one of the highlights of the Norwegian Chairship Program: The inaugural Arctic Youth Conference! From 24-26 January we will be welcoming close to 300 youth and Arctic Council delegates from across the Arctic. It’s a packed program that will engage our future leaders in discussions on issues such as co-development of knowledge, preservation of Indigenous culture and identity, preparedness and resilience, and mental health. ACS staff have been key in planning and preparations for this conference.

In parallel, all gears at the ACS are turned towards the upcoming Chairship transition. In the lead-up to the 14^th meeting of the Arctic Council we are actively working with the whole Arctic Council family and will be kicking off some important discussions during the Arctic Frontiers conference.

What are some of the highlights 2025 has in store?

In addition to the Arctic Youth Conference, the Chairship and the Council’s Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group (EPPR) are hosting the Arctic Emergency Management Conference at Nord University in Bodø, Norway, on 18-20 March. As one of the first international conferences dedicated to a holistic view of Arctic emergency management, this milestone event will explore the unique factors that affect and complicate emergency preparedness and response in a changing Arctic.

Otherwise, the Chairship transition from Norway to the Kingdom of Denmark on 12 May is of course one of the main highlights of the year. For us at the Secretariat this means working hand-in-hand with both the outgoing and incoming Chairships on all fronts, from communications to logistics, to the drafting and facilitation of negotiations for key transitional documents including the Joint Declaration and summary Report to Ministers.

What are you looking forward to this year?

I’m eager to continue our support to the Council as it navigates even more uncharted waters and works to further resume its operations, and to see how it will be able to translate its ambitions into commitments for the next cycle; and I’m hopeful that the Council will reach consensus on a substantive declaration and renewed workplans for Working Groups, the ACS and Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat.

I’m also keen to get to know and work with the incoming Kingdom of Denmark Chairship team and its unique structure, and to provide them with tailored support and advice as they lead the Council through this next chapter. Finally, given the rotational nature of the ACS structure, a big part of my focus will also be on addressing key anticipated staffing changes this year, ensuring that our team is positioned to continue to provide the best support possible to the incoming Chairship and the Council as a whole.