On the History of International Socio-Economic Relations of the Arctic Regions and Thirty-Year Anniversary of the «Northern Forum»

Abstract

The research is a journey into a history of relatively recent establishment and development of international relations and cooperation of the Arctic regions of our country and the world. Thaw in relations between the Soviet Union taken place in the 80s of the last century and other countries affected the development of the territories of the states members of the well-known international Arctic Council, as well as a number of other countries with political and economic interests in the Arctic. This thaw created the basis for the creation of the Northern Forum in 1991, an international non-political organization of regional governors, which expressed the ambitions of the countries of the North and Arctic regions to develop international cooperation. In 2021, this organization will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Its creation is directly related to an active role of Walter J. Hickel (Wally J. Hickel), who in those years was the governor of Alaska (USA). He got elected twice to the office of governor and put enormous business and personal efforts into the creation of the Northern Forum. Unfortunately, in recent years the ability of the Forum to support and strengthen international sustainable socio-economic development in the Arctic region has substantially decreased. Despite the great efforts of the Forum secretariat, which is now located in Yakutsk, its role is declining, which is apparently caused by the growth of political and economic confrontations between the leading Arctic countries. The author puts forward his perspectives on the increasing role of the Northern Forum in the international cooperation of the Arctic countries in the light of new initiatives.