Danish support for the native North

October 2001

Thomas Køhler, TGK Consult, Denmark

In ANSIPRA one can most often read about the Russian reality, especially the problems of the numerically small indigenous peoples of the North. There is no doubt that ANSIPRA this way helps to distribute important information which Western project workers, donors, organisations, consultants and companies can use in their work in support of the indigenous peoples. Though there is also no doubt that our project work cannot solve the problems of Russia, our work can give a push forward – inspire, initiate or facilitate – the native activists of the indigenous peoples' movement, be it in the framework of RAIPON or at the local level.

Denmark has been giving concrete support to RAIPON for five years now. As one of the project partners of RAIPON I would like to present an overview of what new projects have occured this year and which projects are likely to be funded next year. In Denmark both the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can sponsor projects in support of the indigenous peoples of Russia. The actual projects are written and prepared by consultants like myself or NGOs. DEPA has supported the following projects this year:

Implementing organisation Project title Project budget
(1 US$ = 8,50 DKr)
INFONOR Support for the work of INFONOR in Denmark and in Russia
710,000 DKr
CAFF-Secretariat Conservation of sacred sites
519,350 DKr
TGK Consult/RAIPON Establishment of the Centre of Indigenous Peoples (the Project Centre)
999,884 DKr
Indigenous Peoples Secretariat Partnership conference about the future organisation and working fields
524,000 DKr
Nature and Peoples of the North Support for the work in 2001
183,500 DKr
Nature and Peoples of the North Preparation of a Youth Conference in Greenland
232,000 DKr
Scanagro Capacity building and strengthening of RAIPON
429,221 DKr
TGK Consult RAIPON Information Centre
on Kamchatka
1,500,000 Dkr
Concordia Sustainable development and environment in Komi
833,354 Dkr
AV Production Greenlandic part of a documentary on human rights and cultural diversity
300,000 Dkr
Indigenous Peoples Secretariat Core-funding
2,300,000 Dkr
ICC Support for the chairmanship of the ICC
300,000 Dkr

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs started a new programme in support for the indigenous peoples of Russia last year. There is a total of 5 million DKr available. As of today the following projects have obtained support:

Implementing organisation Project title Project budget
IWGIA Support for RAIPON's participation in the legislative process in Moscow
501,762 Dkr
Scanagro Sustainable development and food production on Kamchatka
723,458 Dkr
INFONOR Genetic improvement of Even reindeer
571,157 Dkr

TGK Consult hopes to expand its regional work. We hope that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will support a project on regional development in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and that it will be possible to carry out a youth conference in Moscow this winter.