Buorit olbmot, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I’m honoured to represent the Sámi people and to contribute to this important dialogue on the future of our shared Arctic Ocean.

For us Sámi, the ocean is more than a livelihood. It’s deeply tied to our language, knowledge, and relationship with nature. In Sámi, the word for fishing is bivdit, meaning “to ask for fish.” This reflects our understanding: the ocean provides only when treated with humility and care.

But the Arctic Ocean is under growing pressure. Climate change, industrial expansion, and geopolitical interests now threaten both ecosystems and Indigenous rights.

There are four truths we need to face clearly:

First, Indigenous Peoples must be recognized as rights-holders, not just stakeholders. Participation must be based on Free, Prior and Informed Consent. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides the legal and moral framework for this.

Second, Sámi knowledge must be integrated with science. Our understanding of ecosystems and seasonal patterns comes from centuries of lived experience and sustainable practices.

Third, regional cooperation must include Indigenous institutions. The Sámi Parliaments in Norway, Sweden and Finland have long advocated cross-border collaboration. The EU can support this through inclusive policies and funding.

Fourth, we must confront the contradiction between sustainability goals and extractive projects. The copper mine in Riehppovuotna/Repparfjord by Nussir ASA has been strongly opposed by the Sámi Parliament for its impact on reindeer herding and Sea Sámi fishing.

It is paradoxical that while the EU seeks dialogue with Indigenous Peoples, it has selected Nussir ASA as a strategic project—despite clear violations of Sámi rights and EU criteria. Is this how meaningful dialogue begins?

In 2022, the Sámi Parliament submitted a formal communication to the EFTA Surveillance Authority:

• Sea waste disposal threatens the ecology of Repparfjorden, a national salmon fjord.
• The project risks forcing Sámi herders and fishers from traditional livelihoods.
• The overall harm to Sámi society, environment and rights is too great for mining to proceed.

This case reflects a broader truth: Indigenous voices are still too often set aside when economic interests dominate.

If the ocean loses its balance, so do we.

The Blue Arctic Ocean is not only a space of opportunity—it is a space of responsibility. Let us protect it together, guided by Indigenous knowledge, legal rights, and our shared duty to future generations.

Giitu