UN global sustainable development goals, integration, and security on agenda for Nordic Council Session 2016
The UN has adopted 17 global goals for sustainable development to be reached by 2030. These goals will be the central theme of the 68th Session of the Nordic Council, to be held in Copenhagen in the Danish Parliament building, Christiansborg Palace, from 1 to 3 November. The Nordic Council will host an event at UN City the day before the Session opens, and at the summit between the Nordic Council and the Nordic prime ministers on 1 November, priority will be given to the UN global goals for sustainable development.
The questions to be raised will include: What can the Nordic Region do to achieve these goals?
“We’ll be discussing the goals and the UN system as a whole, as well as how we can make the UN better. The Nordic Region is at the forefront of this process and we can make a difference in the UN and the world. If we work together, we can help those who are in the greatest difficulty more quickly,” says Henrik Dam Kristensen, president of the Nordic Council.
The Nordic Model has proved itself to be strong and robust, and the Nordic countries have stood up well to the crises of recent decades. We will discuss whether the Nordic Model is still strong.Dam Kristensen will also address another major theme of the Session: the Nordic labour market. The starting point is a report on the challenges facing the Nordic labour market written by former Danish minister Poul Nielson. The debate will take place during question time on 2 November.
“The Nordic labour market model is totally unique. Can it survive? This is one of the most significant issues affecting the future of the region, a matter that is critical for us as Nordic politicians to discuss. The Nordic Model has proved itself to be strong and robust, and the Nordic countries have stood up well to the crises of recent decades. We will discuss whether the Nordic Model is still strong,” says Dam Kristensen.
Integration issues and defence co-operation
Integration is also on the agenda. On the second day of the Session, the members of the Nordic Council will consider a co-operation programme for the integration of refugees. In addition, there are several proposals addressing integration by members from the party groups.
International policy and security policy will also feature on the agenda that day, with ministers for foreign affairs and minister for defence giving their reports. In addition, the Nordic prime ministers will be meeting with their Baltic counterparts.
Defence has been a much-discussed topic in the Nordic Council this year, as Denmark, which holds the council’s presidency this year, has suggested that defence co-operation should be a priority area. The tense situation in the Baltic Sea has also contributed to this issue coming high on the agenda.
“During the year of our presidency, we’ve focused on the challenges we share in the Baltic Sea and asked how we can work together better in the area of defence. We’ve also drawn attention to the threat of Russia and Vladimir Putin,” says Dam Kristensen.
Russian gas pipeline under the microscope
Security in the Baltic is also being addressed in a member’s proposal to be presented by the Conservative party group during the Session. The group is concerned about the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. It has submitted a member’s proposal for the Nordic governments to review the project from the perspectives of the environment, security, and foreign policy.
An additional issue to be addressed is what should be the official working languages of the Nordic Council. The delegations for Finland and Iceland have presented a proposal that Finnish and Icelandic should be included as working languages alongside the three Scandinavian languages. The new members’ proposals will be discussed in the plenary on the opening day of the Session.
Award ceremony for the Nordic Council prizes
The award ceremony will take place at the DR Concert Hall at DR Byen. The winners will gather in a separate VIP area adjacent to the concert hall immediately after the award ceremony, at around 21:15, to meet the press. The ceremony will be broadcast live on DR TV.
Accreditation for journalists will close on 28 October
Journalists covering the Nordic Council Session and the award ceremony must accredit themselves by 28 October.
The Nordic Council is the official inter-parliamentary body of the Nordic Region. The autumn Session is an annual forum for political debate between the council and the Nordic governments represented in the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Session can be followed on Twitter using the hashtags #nrsession and #nrpol, and #nrpriser for the Nordic Council prizes.
