The Nordic Region seeks to make its voice heard in the world
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the Nordic Model, such as during the US presidential election campaign, as well as in Asia and Africa.
While the international interest is growing, the Nordic governments and the Nordic Council of Ministers have the express objective of increasing Nordic influence globally without, however, departing from joint EU positions. A pan-Nordic working group for identifying joint Nordic issues has been in operation since March of this year. Ambassador Ruth Jacoby is Sweden’s representative.
“One area in which we already know the G20 has an interest in Nordic solutions is green – i.e. sustainable – growth. On behalf of the Nordic Region, Sweden has been able to raise the profile of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ report ‘Green financing the Nordic way’ during the current Chinese presidency of the G20. We already know that the forthcoming German presidency will continue to focus on this,” Jacoby said.
Erkki Tuomioja, a Finnish social democratic politician in the Nordic Council, highlighted two areas in which Nordic experience and knowledge can be of great benefit to the rest of the world: the status of women and the growing global inequality.
“Whenever I’m asked what’s behind our global success, I say ‘gender equality’,” Tuomioja said. “This is an area in which we can be a global role model,” he stressed. He also emphasised that Nordic aspirations for having a greater influence should be kept realistic.
The Nordic Region has an awful lot to offer the world, especially in these times of unrest, unpredictability, instability, and increasing polarisation“What we are currently working towards are ways in which we can influence certain issues, and this is realistic. But the Nordic Region will not gain a place in the G20. So we need to adapt to reality while also influencing it,” he said.
Starting in 2017, Sweden will be a member of the UN Security Council for two years. Through Sweden, the Nordic Region will gain a voice louder than ever before.
“Sweden’s membership in the UN Security Council is both a challenge and an opportunity that the Nordic Region as a whole must take advantage of,” said State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Annika Söder during a debate in the Swedish parliament. “The Nordic Region has an awful lot to offer the world, especially in these times of unrest, unpredictability, instability, and increasing polarisation. Nordic co-operation is becoming increasingly important – together, we have a major role to play, both at home and internationally.”
