Scramble for the Arctic

The Arctic Ocean region is the northernmost frozen part of the Earth, bordered by the North American and Eurasian continents. It has now become a new competition ground for global power politics. The region is unique in many ways, especially for new trade routes, the largest fishing stock, and rare minerals such as cobalt and lithium required for computing and AI technology.

Every country bordering the ocean is in a race to maximise its territorial claims. Superpowers want to outcompete their rivals. Tensions are rising after US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric calling for an American takeover of Greenland, which he calls strategically important to US national security. There is a need to manage the rising strategic significance of this region in a responsible manner.

Dr Iftikhar Ahmed

Jacobabad