Joint Statement on Creation of Joint Task Force to Negotiate Beaufort Sea Boundary

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Canada on the occasion of the creation of a joint task force on the Beaufort Sea Boundary:

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In a rapidly changing Arctic marked by new challenges and increased strategic competition, the region has become a growing focus for the United States and Canada. Our common interests in the region have served as the foundation of our bilateral Arctic relations for many decades and will continue to guide our Arctic cooperation in the future.

To further our cooperation in the Arctic, Canada and the United States are announcing the creation of a joint U.S. - Canada task force to undertake negotiations on the maritime boundary in the Beaufort Sea including resolving the overlap in the continental shelf in the Central Arctic Ocean. The area at issue is situated north of Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

The task force is expected to begin negotiations this fall and reflects the commitment of the United States and Canada to clarify our shared northern boundary through cooperative bilateral negotiation and meaningful engagement with state, territorial, and Indigenous partners.

Canada and the United States will work collaboratively toward a final agreement that will provide clarity on our Arctic maritime boundaries, bearing in mind the responsible conservation and sustainable use of Arctic resources for the mutual benefit of Americans and Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples.

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