Ambassador Giorgio Novello keynote speaker at Arctic Frontiers 2014.

  The Arctic Frontiers Conference, established in 2006 and organized annually in the city of Tromsoe, has become an increasingly important international arena for discussion on development in the Arctic and Arctic issues bringing together representatives from politics, science and civil society to share perspectives on how upcoming challenges in the Arctic may be addressed to ensure sustainable development.  Italy has a particularly high-profile at this year’s conference to be held from 19 to 24 January with the title “Humans in the Arctic” and addressing two main themes: I) Health, Environment and Society, and II) Offshore Maritime Challenges.

Arctic Frontiers consists of two sections, a policy section and a scientific section.  The key-speakers in the policy section, in which the Italian Ambassador also participated, were, among others, the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Elisabeth Aspaker and the Norwegian Minister of Health Bent Høie, the Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson; the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja; the Prime Minister of Greenland Aleqa Hammond; the US Deputy Assistant Secretary Brent Hartely and the Ambassador of Italy to Norway and Iceland Giorgio Novello.

In his speech he recalled the profound ties that link Italy to the Arctic recently culminated with the admission of Italy as permanent observer country to the Arctic Council. He stressed the significant Italian presence in the Arctic, first of all in the scientific and economic fields thanks to the permanent Italian research station in New-Ålesund, Svalbard, and the increasing number of Italian students and researchers in the universities of the region, as well as the activity not only of larger Italian groups in sectors such as the oil & gas, shipping building, high-tech, helicopter manufacturing, but also of SME particularly in the industry component  sector. The Ambassador concluded his speech outlining Italy’s vision for development in the Arctic in the light of an increasing interest of the Italian Government for the region.

In the scientific section which follows the policy section presentations will held by the Anglo-Italian helicopter company AgustaWestland and by Selex ES of the Finmeccanica group.  AgustaWestland –that recently was awarded a contract for supply of 16 AW101 to the Norwegian Government – will speak on Arctic search and rescue operations and Selex ES on Italian expertise in the surveillance and management of maritime traffic.

During his stay in Tromsø Ambassador Novello, assisted by Deputy Head of Mission Tommaso Andria, has held a series of meetings with, among others, Minister Aspaker, Høie and Svensson, the Rector of the University of Tromsoe Anne Husebekk, the Mayor of Stavanger Christine Sagen Helgø, the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, representatives of the Italian scientific community in Tromsø; representative of scientific and economic institutions and of Italian firms operating in the area, other participants in the Conference.

Ambassador Giorgio Novello and the Rector of the University of Tromsoe Anne Husebekk.