When 450 participants from Denmark and abroad meet later this month for a large business conference on the future of Greenland, it will be without the participation of a Danish government representative.
Acting Minister of Business and Industry Morten Bødskov (S) is actually on the list of participants, but he will not travel to Nuuk.
Participation in the Future Greenland conference has been "cancelled due to the parliamentary situation in Denmark", where a government is missing, the Ministry of Business and Industry informs.
Keldsen: A pity but fully understood
At the organizer of the conference, Greenland Business Association, director Christian Keldsen understands the cancellation.
- We have benefited greatly from being able to mix some Danish politicians, Greenlandic politicians and people from outside. Now we just need an angle there.
- But yes, when we are so focused on having a strong commonwealth and we want each other, it is a shame, but we fully understand the situation, says Christian Keldsen.
Politicians from the Greenland Committee in the Danish Parliament have also had to cancel the conference.
A number of Americans are participating
In turn, Danish diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as Arctic Ambassador Kenneth Høegh and Denmark's Ambassador to France, Hanne Fugl Eskjær, are participating.
A number of Americans are also on the list of participants.
Susan Wilson, who is consul at the American consulate in Nuuk, is coming to the conference. So is the American ambassador to Denmark, Ken Howery.
And it has already attracted attention that the United States' special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, has announced his arrival.
There have been no official reports that Jeff Landry has previously visited Greenland while he was a special envoy.
- That makes an impression
Christian Keldsen emphasizes that the United States "is officially a partner and ally of Greenland".
- And the official policy in the Commonwealth and Greenland is to seek investments and sensible cooperation with the United States. That part has not changed.
- It makes an impression on both me and everyone else that three months ago we were in a situation where there was talk of invasion, and one of those who was on the American side to talk about taking over was Jeff Landry. So in that light, one might think that it was time for him to come and see for himself what Greenland really looks like, says Christian Keldsen.
If you look at the program for the conference, which will run from May 19 to 20, the geopolitical situation around Greenland also plays a role.
Among other things, former US ambassador to the US Rufus Gifford will be on stage to talk about "what we need to understand about the US".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no comment on whether meetings between Danish and American representatives are planned in connection with the conference.
/ritzau/
