[ad_1]
In 2019, major US media reported that US President Donald Trump wanted to buy Greenland. Although it has never been for sale, Greenland has always had close ties with the United States and lately China has also shown interest in extending its influence in the country due to the territory’s natural resources. Politically, Greenland is dependent on Denmark and therefore receives funding from the European Union. Second Political, the European Union would have to strengthen its economic relations with Greenland: an even more stable alliance would consolidate the economic autonomy of the European Union and would also bring considerable benefits to Greenland.
Greenland is the largest island in the world. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and has an area equivalent to six times that of Germany; their lands are largely covered by ice and are inhabited by some 56,000 people, mostly Inuit. Although politically owned by Denmark, Greenland is governed with great autonomy, especially when it comes to the exploitation of resources.
Wikimedia
As part of the so-called overseas countries and territories, which have a dependency link with one of the European countries and have signed cooperation agreements with the European Union, Greenland enjoys particular rights and economic aid: in particular, each year it receives approximately 32 million euros in funds destined mainly to education and sustainable development projects. In 1985, Greenland left the European Economic Community after a dispute over fishing rights; However, in addition to the funds destined for overseas countries and territories, it receives other money from the European Union in exchange for access to certain areas to fish.
One of the reasons why Greenland is seen with increasing interest by foreign countries is precisely the exploitation of territories and raw materials. Indeed, due to the global coronavirus pandemic, supplying strategic minerals and essential resources to countries like Europe could prove more complex.
For this, second Political, the European Union must maintain good relations with Greenland and allocate even more funds to the search for rare minerals. The establishment of an “industrial alliance” for the extraction of essential raw materials would further strengthen the economic autonomy of the European Union and, in return, Greenland could request more administrative support. In fact, one of Greenland’s main objectives is to obtain full independence from Denmark. However, to have more autonomy, a more stable economic situation would be needed, and if more investment came from China or the United States, the country could move further away from the European Union.
– Read also: Trump wanted to buy Greenland
Greenland is a strategic NATO garrison and is home to Thule Air Base, which is the closest US military base to both Europe and western Russia. The Trump administration recently launched diplomatic channels and opened a consulate in Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital, and later announced that it had allocated $ 12.1 million (about 10 million euros) in aid to the country.
Another country that in recent months has shown growing interest in Greenland for its resources is precisely China, which according to a senior Danish official quoted by Political The United States considers it the “main strategic rival” also in these territories. According to the official, China’s interest is not strictly military, but “in the long run it would threaten the strategic interest of one of Greenland’s allies.”
– Read also: China and Australia keep fighting
Since the territory of Greenland is estimated to be home to significant deposits of particularly rare natural elements, some Chinese companies have sought to obtain licenses to carry out geological research and mineral extraction projects. In 2016, for example, the Australian company that started exploration activities at the Kvanefjeld site, where there are believed to be more than 1 billion tonnes of ore, was bought by a Chinese majority shareholder. Political wrote that the company is now awaiting permission to start mining and that the US government is trying to stop the company’s negotiation with the Greenland authorities for security reasons.
Among other things, last year the United States and Denmark had lobbied to block the offer of a Chinese company that participated in the tender to expand the territory’s only international airport and develop a port with the aim of increasing tourism. .
Second Political, the temptation to surrender to US or Chinese investors for Greenland is strong. Although the rivalry between the two powers to gain more influence over the country has intensified, for now the European Union has shown no interest in intervening, although the relationship with Greenland would bring substantial benefits to both parties. At the moment, in Brussels, the seat of the Parliament of the European Union, there is a small representative office of Greenland, but in Greenland there is no official of the European Union.
[ad_2]
