Declaration of Cooperation signed

The governments of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have signed a declaration of Cooperation with the West Nordic Council. The declaration was signed in connection with the Nordic Council’s conference on Democracy.

The Declaration signals an important step towards formalising the cooperation between the West Nordic Council and the governments of the three member countries.

The Declaration of Cooperation stipulates that cooperation between the governments and the West Nordic Council is executed by mutual exchange of information at an annual meeting between the west-nordic ministers of Nordic Cooperation and the West Nordic Council’s presidium. The meetings shall be held in connection with the Nordic Council’s annual general meetings. Schedules permitting, the ministers of Nordic cooperation will take part in the West Nordic Council’s annual general meetings and in the Council’s theme conferences. In addition, the ministers of Nordic cooperation will submit an annual report on the Council’s recommendations and on the countries’ cooperation in general.

The declaration was signed by:
Høgni Hoydal, Faroe Islands minister of cooperation
Siv Friðleifsdóttir, Iceland’s minister of cooperation
Hjálmar Árnason, President of the West Nordic Council
Lise Lennert, Greenland’s minister of cooperation (per capsulum)

Nordisk Råds temakonference

The Nordic Council hosted a conference on “Democracy” in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 15 and 16 April.

Prior to the opening, the West Nordic Council presidium held meetings with the Nordic Councilo presidium and with the Nordic Council Committee of Culture .

The Nordic Council presidium The West Nordic Council was represented by Mr. Hjálmar Árnason, president, og Mr. Jógvan Durhuus, 1st. vice president.

The agenda was “Arctic Cooperation”. The president explained about the West Nordic Council’s priorities in Arctic work. He mentioned culture, hunting and infrastructure. In particular he pointed towards the health situation in the Arctic areas. This is clearly an issue that requires much attention and efforts in the future. Also, he reminded the presidium of the fact that the West Nordic Council has proclaimed Public Health to be main theme om the Council’s work in 2003.

Committee of Culture
The meeting with the Committee of Culture was arranged as a hearing. The Council’s 1st. vice president Mr. Jógvan Durhuus gave a presentation on the Council’s work in a cultural context. Also, Mr. Sölvi Sveinsson, Mr. Jón Yngvi Jóhannsson and Ms Benedikte Þorsteinsson lectured about the position of the west-nordic languages, west-nordic literature and about cultural arrangements at grass-root level.

Tema/Theme 2002

Temakonferencen 2002 handler om trafik i Vestnorden. Både politiske beslutningstagere og fagfolk deltager på konferencen.

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The Theme Conference 2002 is about Traffic. The participants represent a range of experts and political decision makers.

Samarbejdserklæring underskrevet

Islands regering, Færøernes landsstyre og Grønlands landsstyre har underskrevet en Samarbejdserklæringen med Vestnordisk Råd. Erklæringen blev underskrevet i forbindelse med Nordisk Råds temakonference om demokrati.

Med samarbejdserklæringen har man taget et vigtigt skridt til at formalisere samarbejdet mellem Rådet og regeringerne i de tre lande.

Samarbejdserklæringen handler om, at samarbejdet mellem regeringerne og Vestnordisk Råd skal foregå med gensidig formidling af information på et årligt møde mellem landenes samarbejdsministre og Vestnordisk Råds præsidium, der afholdes i forbindelse med Nordisk Råds sessioner. Samarbejdsministrene vil også deltage, så vidt det er muligt, på Vestnordisk Råds årsmøder samt på Rådets temakonferencer. Samarbejdsministrene erklærer således, at de vil give en årlig redegørelse om landenes opfølgning af Rådets rekommandationer og om landenes samarbejde.

Erklæringen blev underskrevet af:
Høgni Hoydal, Færøernes samarbejdsminister
Siv Friðleifsdóttir, Islands samarbejdsminister
Hjálmar Árnason, Vestnordisk Råds formand
Lise Lennert, Grønlands samarbejdsminister (per capsulum)