Canada, France open diplomatic posts in Greenland

Canada and France officially opened diplomatic consulates in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, on Friday, signalling support for NATO ally Denmark and the Arctic territory as the United States seeks to expand its influence in the region.

In Nuuk, Canada’s maple-leaf flag was raised as dozens of people sang “O Canada” during the opening of the Canadian consulate, led by Foreign Minister Anita Anand, as per US media.

“The significance of raising this flag today and formally opening the consulate is that we will stand together with the people of Greenland and Denmark on many issues,” Anand said, highlighting cooperation on defence, security, climate change, economic resilience, and broader Arctic collaboration.

Meanwhile, France’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Jean-Noël Poirier assumed his duties as consul general on Friday, making France the first European Union country to establish a consulate general in Greenland. According to Greenland’s Sermitsiaq newspaper, Poirier arrived alongside the Canadian delegation, though his consulate does not yet have a physical location.

The French ministry said Poirier will focus on strengthening political ties with Greenland’s authorities and deepening cooperation on cultural, scientific, and economic projects. The decision to open the consulate followed President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Greenland in June.

Canada had initially pledged to establish a consulate in Greenland in 2024. The inauguration, originally scheduled for November, was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.

The openings come in the context of U.S. interest in Greenland. Last month, former President Donald Trump proposed new tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries that opposed his plan to “take over” the semiautonomous island, though he later dropped the threats, citing a framework agreement on access to Greenland’s mineral resources. Few details of that arrangement have been released.

Technical discussions between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland also began last week to explore an Arctic security deal. Denmark’s and Greenland’s foreign ministers agreed to create a working group during a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, preceding Trump’s tariff threats.

By Tamilla Hasanova