France opened a consulate in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, on Friday, strengthening its diplomatic presence in the Arctic and keeping the promise made by President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the island last June.
In doing so, France becomes the first EU country to establish a consulate general in Greenland, ahead of its partners in the 27-member bloc.
Brussels, however, is already represented on the island, following the opening of a European Commission bureau in 2024.
Jean-Noël Poirier, the former French ambassador to Vietnam, took up his job upon arrival in Nuuk, where he will represent France in this semi-autonomous Danish territory of around 56,000 inhabitants.
Until now, French nationals living in Greenland relied on a limited consular arrangement.
An honorary consul, Kristine Winberg, handled basic administrative procedures and consular assistance on behalf of the French embassy in Denmark.
Her role included issuing identity documents, providing support in cases of legal cases or deaths, and acting as a link with the small French community, according to French broadcaster BFM TV.
Only eight French nationals registered in Nuuk
A diplomatic source told Euronews that only “eight French citizens are registered in Nuuk, but possibly around thirty live in Greenland.”
Despite the small size of the French population on the island, the new consulate will have extended responsibilities.
In addition to providing administrative support to French nationals, it will work “to deepen existing cooperation projects with Greenland in the cultural, scientific and economic fields, while strengthening political ties with local authorities,” according to a statement published this Friday by the foreign ministry.
Paris says the aim is to strengthen ties between Greenland, France and the EU in a region that has become the source of significant discord between Europe and the US, amid US President Donald Trump’s repeated demands for Washington to take control of the territory which is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The US views the island as crucial for its missile defence framework and protection from malign threats by the likes of Russia and China.
France and Canada — both of which oppose any US takeover of Greenland — have each inaugurated a consulate in Nuuk.
Recent tensions have also led to the establishment of a framework for discussions between the US president and the NATO secretary general on the island’s future.
A working group bringing together US, Danish and Greenlandic representatives has been set up, although the content of the talks has not been made public.