The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday released its newest strategy to address its expanding role in the polar regions.
As the Arctic region continues to open, and strategic competition drives more actors to look to the Arctic for economic and geopolitical advantages, the demand for Coast Guard leadership and presence will continue to grow.
As the nation’s primary maritime presence in the polar regions, the Coast Guard advances national interests through a unique blend of polar operational capability, regulatory authority, and international leadership across the full spectrum of maritime governance. The Coast Guard will continue to work with our allies and partners on the mutual goal of ensuring a safe, secure, and cooperative Arctic, even as our aspiring near-peer competitors maneuver for strategic advantage in the area.
“The Arctic Strategic Outlook reaffirms the Coast Guard’s commitment to American leadership in the region through partnership, unity of effort, and continuous innovation. We understand the significant investment required to secure the Arctic, and we appreciate and embrace the trust the American people have placed in the U.S. Coast Guard. We will remain vigilant in protecting our national interests in the polar regions,” said Adm. Karl L. Schultz, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard’s mission in the Arctic is enduring, but the strategic context has changed. In the intervening six years since the promulgation of the 2013 Coast Guard Arctic Strategy, changes in regional geopolitical competition, economic drivers, and the physical environment required the Coast Guard to take a fresh look at our existing missions, activities, and strategic objectives in the Arctic. Similarly, our federal and international partners and competitors are revising their Arctic strategic documents and investments as they react to the region’s evolving conditions. In recognition of America’s needs in the modern Arctic, this updated strategic outlook updates the service’s vision to ensure safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity.
Click here to read the report.
