Canada and France are set to open diplomatic consulates in Nuuk on Friday, signalling strong support for Denmark, their NATO ally, and for Greenland amid recent US efforts to secure greater control over the semi-autonomous Arctic territory.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand travelled to Nuuk to formally inaugurate Canada’s consulate, accompanied by Governor General Mary Simon. Canadian officials said the mission would help deepen cooperation with Greenland on issues such as climate change, Arctic security, and Inuit rights.
France will simultaneously establish its own diplomatic presence, becoming the first European Union country to open a consulate general in Greenland. The French Foreign Ministry said Jean-Noël Poirier would assume duties
as Consul General, with a mandate to expand cooperation with Greenland in cultural, scientific, and economic fields, while strengthening political ties with local authorities.
Canada had announced plans to open a consulate in Greenland in 2024, well before recent remarks by US President Donald Trump about a possible takeover of the island. The formal opening was initially scheduled for November but was postponed due to severe weather conditions.
Ahead of the inauguration, Anand met Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen in Denmark on Thursday. Posting on social media, she said that as Arctic nations, Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark were working together to strengthen stability, security and cooperation across the region.
France said its decision to open a consulate was taken following President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Greenland in June.
Greenland has drawn heightened international attention after Trump announced in January that the United States would impose new tariffs on Denmark and several other European countries opposing his calls for US control of the mineral-rich island. He later dropped the threats, saying a “framework” for a deal on access to Greenland’s resources had been reached with the help of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, though few details have been made public.
Last week, technical-level talks began between the United States, Denmark and Greenland to develop a broader Arctic security arrangement. The initiative followed a meeting involving Greenlandic and Danish leaders with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, shortly before Trump’s tariff threats.
The opening of the Canadian and French consulates marks a significant expansion of diplomatic engagement in Greenland, underlining growing international focus on the Arctic’s strategic, economic and security importance.
