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Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US weighs special status for Greenland as quest for island intensifies
Seagulls swarm around a fishing boat while two fishermen gut their catch of Atlantic cod in Ilulissat, Greenland. PHOTO: IVOR PRICKETT/NYTIMES WASHINGTON - US officials are discussing a plan to pull Greenland into America's sphere of influence using a type of agreement that the United States has used to keep close ties with several Pacific Island nations, according to two US officials and another person familiar with the discussions. Under the plan being considered, the Trump administration would propose to Greenland's leaders that the island enter into a so-called Compact of Free Association, or Cofa, with the United States. While the precise details of Cofa agreements - which have only ever been extended to the small island nations of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau - vary depending on the signatory, the US government typically provides many essential services, from mail delivery to emergency management to military protection. In exchange, the US military operates freely in Cofa countries and trade with the US is largely duty-free. President Donald Trump, who during his first administration floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, has pressed even harder since taking office in January, refusing to rule out taking the island by force. Denmark, which governs the island, has sharply rebuffed the idea. A Cofa agreement would stop short of Mr Trump's ambition to make the island of 57,000 people a part of the US. It is not the only Greenland plan on the table, the sources said, and it would face many practical hurdles. Reuters reported before Mr Trump took office that some advisers had informally suggested the idea. But it has not been previously revealed that White House officials have begun talks about the logistics behind such a proposal. Some officials at the National Security Council and the National Energy Dominance Council, which Mr Trump established, are involved in the talks, two of the sources said. The National Economic Council is also involved, one of those sources added. Cofa agreements have previously been inked with independent countries, and Greenland would likely need to separate from Denmark for such a plan to proceed. While polls show Greenlanders are interested in independence, surveys also show most do not want to be part of the US. A Cofa - which cedes significant autonomy to Washington - could be viewed with similar scepticism. One of those involved in the discussions is Mr Markus Thomi, the acting senior director for the National Security Council's Western Hemisphere section, according to two of the sources. Mr David Copley, the key mining official on the NEDC, is also involved in the talks, one of those sources said. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the Danish Embassy or Greenland's representative office in Washington. The Interior Department, which plays a key role in administering Cofa agreements through its Office of Insular Affairs, also did not respond. Troubles with existing Cofa deals Washington's existing Cofa agreements with Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia are seen across the US political spectrum as important for countering China's growing influence in the Asia Pacific. Still, such accords have hit snags in the past. Republican lawmakers have at times opposed elements of the budget allotted to fund Cofa agreements, creating deep frustrations in the countries that rely on the funds. Signing a Cofa also offers no guarantee that a nation will be immune from influence operations by US rivals. In April, Reuters reported that Chinese nationals had successfully cultivated close ties to senior political figures in Palau, alarming US officials. Danish leaders have not been approached about the Cofa idea and have not had any substantive discussions with the White House about Greenland's future status, one senior European official said. Danish officials have publicly rejected the idea of the US acquiring Greenland, and insist Greenlanders must determine their future. Administration officials argue the island is crucial to the US due to its deposits of minerals that have important high-tech and military applications, but which remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and various other challenges. An administration official told Reuters the US was helping Greenland diversify its economy and gain greater economic independence from Denmark. The Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank, both US agencies, could play a role in that process, the official said. The official pointed to the Tanbreez Project, which will see rare earths extracted on the island and processed in the US, as a particular bright spot in relations with Greenland. New York-based Critical Metals Corp holds a 42 per cent stake in the project, though that stake could increase considerably as part of a complex deal due to be completed later this year. The official said a Cofa 'could be an elegant way to address some of the concerns that we have when it comes to Greenland security,' but did not otherwise comment on the possibility of such an accord. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US considers special status for Greenland amid Trump push for control
US officials are discussing a plan to pull Greenland into America's sphere of influence using a type of agreement that the United States has used to keep close ties with several Pacific Island nations, according to two US officials and another person familiar with the discussions. Under the plan being considered, the Trump administration would propose to Greenland's leaders that the island enter into a so-called compact of free association, or Cofa, with the United States. While the precise details of Cofa agreements – which have only ever been extended to the small island nations of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau – vary depending on the signatory, the US government typically provides many essential services, from mail delivery to emergency management to military protection. In exchange, the US military operates freely in Cofa countries and trade with the US is largely duty-free. Donald Trump, who during his first administration floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, has pressed even harder since taking office in January, refusing to rule out taking the island by force. Denmark, which governs the island, has sharply rebuffed the idea. A Cofa agreement would stop short of Trump's ambition to make the island of 57,000 people a part of the US. It is not the only Greenland plan on the table, the sources said, and it would face many practical hurdles. Some officials at the national security council and the national energy dominance council, which Trump established, are involved in the talks, two of the sources said. The national economic council is also involved, one of those sources added. Cofa agreements have previously been inked with independent countries, and Greenland would probably need to separate from Denmark for such a plan to proceed. While polls show Greenlanders are interested in independence, surveys also show most do not want to be part of the US. A Cofa – which cedes significant autonomy to Washington – could be viewed with similar skepticism. One of those involved in the discussions is Markus Thomi, the acting senior director for the national security council's western hemisphere section, according to two of the sources. David Copley, the key mining official on the NEDC, is also involved in the talks, one of those sources said. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the Danish embassy or Greenland's representative office in Washington. The interior department, which plays a key role in administering Cofa agreements through its office of insular affairs, also did not respond. Washington's existing Cofa agreements with Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia are seen across the US political spectrum as important for countering China's growing influence in the Asia Pacific region. Still, such accords have hit snags in the past. Republican lawmakers have at times opposed elements of the budget allotted to fund Cofa agreements, creating deep frustrations in the countries that rely on the funds. Signing a Cofa also offers no guarantee that a nation will be immune from influence operations by US rivals. Danish leaders have not been approached about the idea and have not had any substantive discussions with the White House about Greenland's future status, one senior European official said. Danish officials have publicly rejected the idea of the US acquiring Greenland, and insist Greenlanders must determine their future. Administration officials argue the island is crucial to the US due to its deposits of minerals that have important hi-tech and military applications, but which remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and various other challenges. An administration official told Reuters the US was helping Greenland diversify its economy and gain greater economic independence from Denmark. The Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank could play a role in that process, the official said. The official said a Cofa 'could be an elegant way to address some of the concerns that we have when it comes to Greenland security' but did not otherwise comment on the possibility of such an accord.
The Guardian
17-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Explainer: what will the withdrawal of USAid mean for the Pacific?
The dismantling of USAid by president Donald Trump is having a ripple effect across the Pacific as people working on more than 100 projects and activities in the region grapple with an uncertain future. While Pacific analysts say overall the region is resilient and will not be heavily affected by the withdrawal, hundreds of people working on USAid projects across the region say their lives and communities have already been upended. According to the Lowy Institute, the US is the fifth-biggest funder of the Pacific behind Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. 'At the individual level, Pacific islanders are definitely affected by this. US-funded projects are usually well paid, and in places like Papua New Guinea, a single income supports extended family members and communities,' said Dr Lefaoalii Dion Enari, a Pacific expert at Auckland University of Technology. 'This type of approach will harm US relations in the Pacific a lot more than it will harm the Pacific itself,' Lefaoalii said. USAid funds initiatives in a range of areas including health, the climate crisis and economic development. It helps countries develop and implement climate action plans and provides grants to local organisations to build resilience against the climate crisis and disasters. USAid also funds initiatives on community disaster preparedness and sustainable energy. For example, USAid's Climate Ready for Big Ocean State Sustainability program was designed give 12 Pacific countries more access to climate finance for critical adaptation and mitigation projects. USAid does not publish a comprehensive list of projects it supports in the Pacific. But estimates drawn from USAid documents, regional bodies and analysts, suggest there are more than 100 large- and small-scale projects supported by USAid across the region. The Guardian spoke to 12 people across the Pacific involved in USAid projects. They did not want to be named for fear of losing potential future income. Some have already been let go, while others are in limbo, uncertain about how long they will remain employed. One source estimated 600 Pacific islanders are full-time employees of USAid projects, but that does not account for contractors and other partners – which is estimated to amount to thousands of people. Another worker at an organisation in Papua New Guinea that relies on USAid expressed anxiety about the future. 'We employ four people, and as of now, we do not know how long we will remain in operation,' they said. According to the Lowy Institute, the US spent $3.4bn in the Pacific Islands cumulatively between 2008 and 2024. A total of $249m was spent in 2022, with the majority going to Compact of Free Association (Cofa) nations, which are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. 'The US spends 80% of its aid to the Pacific on Cofa nations. Of the remaining 20%, most goes to Papua New Guinea and other Melanesian countries,' said Alexandre Dayant, deputy director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre at the Lowy Institute. 'Cofa nations are shielded from the USAid freeze as their funding was approved by Congress through the Department of the Interior,' he added. Although the US pledged $600m in 2022 to strengthen its engagement in the Pacific, including commitments to open embassies in Tonga and Kiribati and appoint a US envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum, people involved in the programs on the Pacific side say the funds have yet to fully reach the islands. Some programs are looking for new funding. One organisation in Samoa, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra), was granted $532,608 in 2023 from USAid to create new economic opportunities, promote women's empowerment, and address disaster risk management in 20 rural villages. The programs supported around 14,000 villagers. The agency also provides workshops on mental health, domestic violence and family health, which are supported by USAid and the Pacific American Fund. In a statement issued earlier this week, Adra said it was actively seeking alternative funding to continue its suspended life-saving programs. The organisation said it was working to utilise other available resources to keep critical initiatives operational during the review period and remains hopeful for a positive outcome. This includes the community disaster and climate risk management, which gives villages knowledge and skills to respond to hazards and disaster. 'Even though this is shocking initially for our people, at the end of the day, we are resilient,' Lefaoalii told the Guardian. 'For Samoa, and for many across our islands, we have social safety nets built into the community to help in such times.' Despite the resilience of the region, Lefaoalii said the move by Trump has been seen in the Pacific as 'disrespectful'. 'We deeply value loyalty and respect, and this move was disrespectful. It was not consultative and has directly affected community livelihoods, this will not be easily forgotten by Pacific leaders,' said Lefaoalii.
