Faroe Islands Granted Full Membership on NordGen Board
After years of participation as observers, the Faroese national government has officially been granted full membership on the NordGen Board. This decision, approved by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Fisheries, Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, follows decades of fruitful collaboration between the Faroe Islands and NordGen.
Traditionally, the Nordic self-governing territories—Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Åland Islands—have been granted observer status on the boards of Nordic institutions. However, the Åland Protocol allows for full membership in cases where these territories have a specific interest in the institution’s work.
"The Faroe Islands have been represented as observers on the NordGen Board for many years. In recent years, our collaboration with NordGen has grown significantly, bringing benefits to both parties. We are therefore delighted that this strengthened partnership is now reflected in our full membership on the board," said Tróndur Leivsson, Managing Director at the Faroese Agricultural Agency.
The Faroe Islands have worked closely with NordGen since its establishment, and even before that, with its predecessor institutions. The collaboration has included the collection and preservation of plant genetic resources in the Nordic Gene Bank (1979-2008), as well as numerous initiatives focused on farm animal genetic resources through the Nordic Gene Bank Farm Animals (1983-2008). Since the merger of these institutions into NordGen in 2008, cooperation has extended to areas such as cattle, horses, and cereals, among others. The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Kalmar II Declaration on Access and Rights to Genetic Resources specifically highlights the importance of formal collaboration between NordGen and Faroese authorities.
"NordGen is thrilled to welcome the Faroe Islands as full members of our board with voting rights," said Lise Lykke Steffensen, Executive Director of NordGen. "Our long-standing partnership in the conservation and promotion of sustainable genetic resources has been highly productive. With the many challenges ahead, we look forward to strengthening our collaboration even further."