NATO Member Canada's Foreign Minister Unveils Arctic Foreign Policy - plus Minister of National Defence Weighs In

According to Global Affairs Canada,the Arctic is experiencing major changes.The shifting geopolitical landscape,evolving security threats and accelerating climate change are impacting the Arctic in unique ways and highlight the need for strong Canadian leadership to respond to the changing reality in the region.That is why the Honourabla Melanie Joly,PC MP,Minister of Foreign Affairs,on O6 DEC 2024 announced the launch of Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy (AFP).The AFP is the culmination of months of extensive engagement with territorial and provincial governments and Inuit,First Nations and Metis.The AFP was also informed by consultations with the Kingdom of Denmark;Finland;Iceland;Norway;Sweden;and the United States,Canada's like-minded Arctic Partners.The AFP is also a comprehensive diplomatic strategy for Canada's engagement in and on the Arctic.It provides expanded presence and partnerships to address current needs and the flexibility to adapt to future challenges.This approach complements the 2019 Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF),and it will allow Canada to continue to safeguard its sovereignty,advance national interests and promote a stable,prosperous and secure Arctic based on a shared vision of the region's future.The AFP is comprised of four foreign policy pillars:asserting Canada's sovereignty;advancing Canada's interests through pragmatic diplomacy;leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges;and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy.Said Foreign Minsiter Joly:We are in a tough world.Competiton is growing across the globe,and the Arctic is not immune.Many countries,including non-Arctic states,aspire for a greater role in Arctic affairs.The evolving security and evolving security and political realities in the region mean we need a new approach to advance our national interests...Canada will open new consulates in Alaska and Greenland,appoint an Arctic ambassador (an Indigenous person),and continue its boundary negotiations with the United States over the Beaufort Sea.The 37 page document also warns of Russian activity in the Arctic,including modernisation of its Arctic infrastructure and military capabilities.The Canadian Forces station in Alert,Ellesmere Island,is closer to Russia's air force base at Nagurskoye,Russia than Iqaluit (capital of Nunavut Territory) is to Ottawa,or Toronto is to Winnipeg.*Said Foreign Minister Joly:It is clear that Russia has no red lines.The Arctic is no longer a low-tension region.*According to the Honourable William Sterling Blair,PC,COM,MP,Minister of National Defence,in the document Our North,Strong and Free:Here at home,Canadians are depending more on the Canadian Armed Forces-our Regular and Reserved Forces and our Canadian Rangers...We are seeing greater Russian activity in our air approaches,and a growing number of Chinese vessels and surveillance platforms are mapping and collecting data about the region.Meanwhile,states are rapidly building up their military capabilities that impact our security in the Arctic-including submarines,long-range aircraft and hypersonic missiles that move faster and are harder to detect.As the Arctic becomes more accessible to foreign actors,we need to ensure our military has the tools to assert our sovereignty and protect Canada's interests.*At the same time,Canada's interests do not stop at our border.Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine is an attack on the system of international rules and institutions that enable thr security and prosperity of Canada and Canadians;we must remain steadfast in our support of Ukraine.Furthermore,an increasingly assertive China challenges the international order in the Indo-Pacific.Canada must maintain a reliable,persistent military presence to uphold the global rules that underpin our prosperity and sovereignty.*Today we are confronted with a complex,generational challenge.The world is at an inflection point.Democracy,free trade and the rules and values that underpin them are increasingly being challenged by authoritarian states.In parallel,the character of conflict is changing as technonology evolves rapidly.Ultimately,our closest values of democracy,freedom,peace and fairness-which Canadians have fought and died to defend-are being challenged...In 2017,we released Strong,Secure,Engaged-Canada's defence policy,to ensure long-term,predictable,stable funding to National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).Seven years on,Canada's defence strategy remains in an upward trajectory,consistent with our commitment to meet NATO's Defence Investment Pladge.We are aqcuiring new fighter jets (Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs) and Maritime Patrol Aircraft,and new built-in Canada Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels have been delivered to Canadian Sailors.In 2022,we invested 38.6 billion to modernise our contribution to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).*NORAD is the only bi-national military command in the world,ensuring areospace warning and control and maritime warning for the United States and Canada.*Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Pacific Perspective:AUSMIN Focused on Containing China,Part 1

Joint Statement on Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2024:Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Richard Marles on 06 AUG 2024 in Annapolis,Maryland to strengthen further the U.S.-Australian Alliance and the two countries' cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and globally.The Secretaries and Ministers (principals) reaffirmed the U.S.-Australia Alliance is essential to promoting a prosperous and peaceful region.The principals expressed the importance of history and values shared by the United States and Australia and renewed their commitment to support a stable and open international system that protects each nation's ability to make sovereign decisions free from coercion or threats of force.* The principals welcomed action by both governments that build upon the commitments made during the visit of Prime Minister Albanese in the United States and his meeting with President Biden in October 2023 across the full spectrum of the bilateral relationship,to build an "Innovation Alliance."These include 1.Australia's endorsement of the United States' Framework to Counter Foreign State Misinformation Manipulation through a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)...2.Continued progress by the Australia-U.S. Crtical Minerals Task Force (CMTF) to persue secure and diverse critical mineral supply chains,increase investment in mining and processing projects in our respective countries and enhance market transparency.*Delivering for the Indo-Pacific:The principals committed to strengthen cooperation further,bilaterally and with regional Partners and institutions;to ensure an Indo-Pacific that is open,stable,peaceful and prosperous;that promotes and protects human rights and that is respectful of sovereignty and international law...The principals stressed the need for all countries to manage strategic competition responsibly and to work to reduce risks of conflict.They emphasised the importance of maintaining open channels with China to avoid miscommunication or miscalculation that could lead to unintended escalation or conflict.The principals ecouraged China to engage constructively and take steps to promote stability and transparency...The principles underscored the importance of all states being free to exercise rights and freedom consistent with international law as consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),including freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea.They reiterated their strong oppositon to destabilising or coercive unilateral actions in the maritime domain,including in the South China Sea and the East China Sea,that increase tensions and undermine peace and stability.*The principals expressed concern about China's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea that are inconsistent with international law and unilateral actions to change the status quo by force or coercion.They noted grave concern about China's dangerous and escalating behaviour toward Philippines vessels lawfully operating in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).The principals reaffirmed the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award as final and binding on all parties and reconfirmed their resolve to work with Partners to support regional maritime security and uphold international law.*

Vice President Harris Delivers Remarks at Summit on Peace in Ukraine - YouTube - The White House

Fmr. Top NATO official pens letter to Biden warning of threats from authoritarian powers - MSNBC - YouTube

with Johnathan Capehart*Note:The Senate approved by a large bipartisan majority the 95 billion dollar foreign aid bill for Ukraine,Israel,Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific on 23 April 2023 and President Biden will sign it on 24 April 2024.

NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of Georgia 🇬🇪 Irakli Kobakhidze,18 MAR 2024

A Turkish Navy frigate visited Batumi as part of military training for the Georgian Coast Guard.