"As the Arctic becomes more open to shipping and commercial exploitation, we assess that risk of competition over access to sea routes and resources, including fish, will include countries traditionally active in the Arctic as well as other countries that do not border on the region but increasingly look to advance their economic interests there," Coats said in a written congressional testimony.
The importance of the Arctic region has been increasing in recent years as the melting of the region’s ice has opened the possibility for further exploration of petroleum reserves and navigation through the Northern Sea Route.
The intergovernmental group, the Arctic Council, aims to facilitate cooperation among Canada, Russia and the United States, alongside Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Denmark and Arctic indigenous communities and focuses on sustainable development and environmental protection of the region.
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