Fairbanks to host 2017 Arctic Council meeting

January 27, 2016

Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Fairbanks have been selected to host the Arctic Council’s next ministerial meeting in 2017, U.S. special representative Adm. Robert Papp announced on Monday.

Arctic Council ministerial meetings are held every two years to mark the transfer of the council chairmanship. The 2017 meeting will mark the end of the chairmanship for the United States and the beginning of a two-year term for Finland.

The Arctic Council includes the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. The intergovernmental forum allows nations in the Arctic to discuss and coordinate Arctic policy.

The Arctic Council has held its ministerial meeting in Alaska once before. Barrow hosted the event in 2000.

Monday's announcement follows a previous announcement that the 2016 Senior Arctic Officials conference meeting would take place March 15-17 in Fairbanks during the Arctic Science Summit Week. The Senior Arctic Officials meetings take place every six months.

“We appreciate Admiral Papp and the U.S. Department of State’s decision to choose Fairbanks as the location for this important international Arctic meeting,” said UAF Vice Chancellor for University and Student Advancement Mike Sfraga, who will serve as UAF’s representative to the ministerial planning efforts. “We appreciate the steadfast support of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has tirelessly promoted Fairbanks and UAF as the community for this prestigious meeting.”