It is important to have a Greenlandic perspective on the current geopolitical situation, says co-founder and former chairman of Inuit Ataqatigiit and long-time president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), Aqqaluk Lynge, who is among the speakers at the Future Greenland business conference in May.
Back in 2023, Aqqaluk Lynge warned Greenlandic politicians in a sensational column in Sermitsiaq against seeking further independence for fear that Greenland would then be swallowed up by a larger power. Aqqaluk Lynge was right in his assumptions.
The power vacuum in the Arctic
In January 2025 and again in the spring of 2026, the USA expressed its desire to take over Greenland for national security reasons. Over the past year, Aqqaluk Lynge has therefore toured the world's media with the message that Greenland is not in a constitutional crisis and that Greenland is already part of a union with Denmark and the Faroe Islands.
– An independent Greenland is the same as a power vacuum in the Arctic, and that cannot be accepted by the USA. Therefore, the only way forward for Greenland is to stand clearly and clearly together with Denmark. It is within the framework of the Commonwealth that we can talk about a Greenlandic right to self-determination, says Aqqaluk Lynge, who believes that it is important that we are realistic in our view of our own strength and ability.
– We are only 57,000 people, and we lack both capital and labor to build an independent state. In terms of education, we are also in a difficult place, because there are too many young people who are not in work or in education.
Danish is important for young people
According to Aqqaluk Lynge, the Future Greenland conference is a good opportunity to look at Greenland's opportunities and at the same time recognize that we ourselves must make an effort to move forward as a country and as a people.
– The Danish language is still absolutely crucial for educational opportunities for young people. I believe that it is a mistake to focus primarily on Greenlandic and English in schools. We must recognize that we are a small country that is part of a larger country; And we must know the Danish language to do our best.
The victim card must be put aside
According to Aqqaluk Lynge, we must also stop playing the victim card in Greenland.
– We must fight the forces that constantly pull us back in time and talk about how we have been treated badly. I have noticed that many in the younger generation tend to take over the traumas of the older generations. We must stop doing that. We cannot build a society on being victims. We must focus on the fact that we have been given real opportunities within the Commonwealth to retain our language and culture and to build our own society centered on Christian values that go back several hundred years. Just think of Rasmus Berthelsen's "Guuterput" from 1852. That is our history, our cultural baggage.
– We have created Greenlandic society ourselves – in cooperation with Denmark. There is no other place in the world where an indigenous people – a previously colonized population – governs their own country as we do. We should be grateful for that, and we should build on that, says Aqqaluk Lynge.
Greenland is short of money
According to Aqqaluk Lynge, however, a conversation should be initiated with Denmark about an increase in the block grant, which has been frozen since 2009. In reality, this has meant that the country is short of money year after year.
– We do not have the capital needed to run a society. The same money becomes less valuable as the years go by. I believe that when we are part of a nation, there are also some common expenses that must be paid by Denmark. And there is no doubt that savings have been made in many places, including on defence and security, and that there is a need for the Greenlandic business community to be involved in the defence's upcoming task solving in Greenland and the Arctic.
Recruitment of labor
According to Aqqaluk Lynge, we also need to look at how we can get the business sector into a higher gear and attract more labor from outside, without affecting our social structure.
– You should always be aware that when we have such a small population, we can quickly become a minority if, for example, a large mine is opened, where several thousand workers will be brought in from outside. Many small projects are better than a few large-scale projects. I believe that everyone in this country should have an education, and then we should be better at accepting and integrating foreign labor. We need warm hands for our children and our elderly.
Increased cooperation with the EU
Closer cooperation must be established with the EU and countries such as France and England, which have already shown interest in protecting Greenland's right to self-determination, says Aqqaluk Lynge.
– But right now everything depends on the agreement that ends up being made between the USA, Greenland and Denmark. We risk being tied hand and foot by the USA. And I am worried whether this is a slow takeover process of Greenland. If the US midterm elections end up being cancelled by the President, then we know that the dictatorship has begun in the USA, and then there is no way back for Greenland.
The world is with us
However, Aqqaluk Lynge is full of admiration for the young generation of politicians; the members of Naalakkersuisut, who manage to stay the diplomatic course in the midst of a raging geopolitical storm.
– I would like to give the young generation of politicians a big pat on the shoulders. I don't think I would have been quite so diplomatic if I had been facing President Trump. They are doing well, and have my full support.
And according to Aqqaluk Lynge, we are in a better place today than we were six months ago.
– The world is with us. They would rather protect a small people like us than a madman in the most powerful country in the world.
