The Legal Status of the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat of the Arctic Council

Abstract

Introduction: This article presents a comprehensive study of the legal status and functional role of the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat within the institutional architecture of the Arctic Council. The relevance of the research is driven by the insufficient examination of this body in the academic literature. Performing primarily auxiliary functions, the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat remains an institutionally constrained element in the system of representation of the interests of the Arctic indigenous population.Methodology and Materials: The methodological framework includes documentary, comparative legal, and statistical methods, as well as the expert assessment method. The theoretical foundation is institutional analysis of international organizations. The empirical base is formed on the basis of ministerial declarations, regulatory documents of the secretariats, annual reports, and academic publications.Research Results and Discussion: The primary challenge is the funding deficit, which hinders the full-fledged participation of indigenous peoples in the activities of the Arctic Council’s bodies. Despite the lack of voting rights, Permanent Participants effectively influence the Council’s agenda through informal mechanisms. The integration of the secretariat into the Council’s structure and its relocation to Tromsø did not alter its legal status, while ensuring an expansion of its representational functions at the cost of a slight reduction in autonomy.Conclusions: A change in the legal status of the secretariat is not a pressing issue for the Arctic Council. States are not prepared to expand its mandate, while Permanent Participants are satisfied with the de facto recognition of their influence. The practical significance of the study lies in systematizing the institutional constraints on indigenous participation in Arctic governance.