Von der Leyen courts Greenland for raw materials

Whereas not technically part of the EU, the Danish territory is turning into more and more very important to the bloc as international warming and melting ice reveal the huge mineral wealth trapped beneath.

The EU Fee believes Greenland has 25 of the 34 uncooked supplies it wants, together with lithium, niobium, and zirconium utilized in batteries, magnets, and steel alloys.

In December, the EU and Greenland signed a strategic partnership on sustainable uncooked supplies worth chains.

This week’s go to, which included Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, was meant to deliver Greenland even nearer with two extra agreements, bucket a great deal of appeal and the promise of future income.

Allure, revenue and democracy

One initiative prolonged an present fund aimed toward enhancing native schooling and retraining employees, totalling €71m, whereas one other targeted on a €22m funding deal in inexperienced power.

“Greenland is the house of essential minerals, and Europe wants what you could have,” mentioned Frederiksen, not beating across the bush. “So all of us hope for a more in-depth relationship on that as effectively — to the advantage of us each, in fact.”

However there are different events apart from Europe. Former US president Donald Trump provided to purchase the island in 2019, which he described as a “massive actual property deal.”

China has additionally tried to attract the island into its sphere of affect by providing funding proposals for mines, roads, and airports. However regardless of the obvious enthusiasm from governments, solely two mines are working on the world’s largest island right this moment.

That is partly because of Greenland’s distant location — technically a part of the North American continent — which makes the price of transport and mining is prohibitively excessive. And native communities are involved that large-scale mining may disturb their lifestyle or lead to environmental hurt, which has made the subject politically controversial.

So von der Leyen and Frederiksen aimed to allay considerations and draw Greenland nearer by pledging to guard the surroundings and invoking a shared democratic tradition.

“From the very first second, it felt like dwelling, and I believe it’s as a result of we’re so like-minded,” mentioned von der Leyen, who had simply arrived in Greenland. “Our curiosity is to hitch forces as democracies and like-minded companions.”

“For us, it is very important give one of the best provide to our companions in Greenland, which is transparency and full respect for the surroundings,” she assured Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Bourup Egede, standing beside her.

“Others do the mining right here, then take the processing to their very own nation,” she mentioned, in an implicit dig at China.

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“We don’t wish to companion simply to extract minerals; we wish to add high-value actions and construct processing and refining right here,” she added.

Whereas aware to not offend his high-profile friends, Egede made positive to maintain the door open for different potential events. “Everyone on the earth must spend money on the inexperienced transition,” he mentioned. “Final yr we had a near-record quantity of mining explorations. So clearly there’s curiosity.”

Autonomy

Greenland has been beneath Danish sovereignty since 1721 and has inched in the direction of extra autonomy in current many years. In 2009, the island gained a measure of self-rule, together with management of its mineral sources.

Denmark remains to be accountable for international coverage, defence, and safety. However that is slowly shifting.

In April 2023, a draft structure was unveiled. In a coverage doc revealed in February, the island governing physique outlined its international, defence and commerce technique.

The Naalakkersuisut, the Island’s chief government physique, needs nearer ties to the Arctic elements of North America and has proposed establishing a brand new political discussion board known as the Arctic North American Discussion board, the place Greenland would characterize itself.

The textual content acknowledges its neighbour, the US, because the “world’s main superpower”, signalling a comfortable alignment with Western powers.

Nonetheless, Greenland additionally just lately opened its personal illustration in Beijing in an effort to reinforce relations with China and has been cautious to not overly incite Russia, mentioning the nation solely as soon as in its technique.

By “enhancing its collaboration” with different powers and “eliminating commerce boundaries,” Greenland officers purpose to place Greenland as a protected house to forestall a navy escalation of their yard.

“Principally, we wish to keep away from an arms race within the Arctic,” mentioned Vivian Motzfeldt, Naalakkersuisut for Independence and International Affairs, in a press release. “We are going to, subsequently, cooperate extra with our allies.”

“The place to begin for that and for manoeuvring extra safely within the Arctic is to contain the Arctic populations, to contain us,” she added.