Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world
Join the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative for an exploration of key issues facing Greenland in light of the recent Greenland-Denmark-United States security agreement.
Jacob Isbosethsen, Head of Representation, Greenland Representation to the United States and Canada, will offer remarks on the new Greenland-Denmark-United States security agreement, Arctic geopolitics, Greenland’s aspirations for development, and the future of U.S.-Greenlandic relations. Sara Olsvig, Senior Emissary for the Central Arctic Ocean, Arctic Circle, will then join Isbosethsen virtually for a fireside chat. Finally, Halla Logadóttir, Member of the Icelandic Parliament, and David Balton, Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative, will provide Nordic and U.S. views of current Arctic geopolitics.
Audience Q&A to follow.
RSVP required. A Harvard University ID is required for in-person attendance; all are welcome to attend on Zoom.
Recording: The seminar will be recorded and available to watch on the Belfer Center's YouTube channel.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or for questions about access, please contact Elizabeth Hanlon-Warren (ehanlon@hks.harvard.edu) in advance of the session.
Jacob Isbosethsen is the head of the Greenland Representation to the United States and Canada. He previously served as Head of Representation at the Greenland Representation in China, based in Beijing, with official side-accreditation to Japan, Korea, and Singapore. Prior to that, he served as Head of Representation in Iceland (2018–2021), Acting Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in Nuuk (2017), and Head of Department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (2015–2017). He also served as Legal Advisor in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (2013–2015), Secretary to the Greenland Representation to the EU in Brussels (2011–2013), and as Head of Section at the Ministry for Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture (2008–2011). Born and raised in Nuuk, Greenland, Isbosethsen holds a Master of Laws (Cand.jur., LLM) from Aarhus University, completed in 2008. He has also undertaken advanced training in national and international security and defense at the Royal Danish Defense Academy and has completed specialized courses on UNCLOS and Continental Shelf procedures.
Sara Olsvig, PhD, is an Inuk leader and former Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (2022–2026). She is a dedicated defender of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and human rights. Olsvig holds extensive experience in politics, leadership, academia and international advocacy. She has served as member of the Parliament of Denmark (2011–2015) and the Parliament of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) (2013–2018). Olsvig was Vice Premier and Minister for Social Affairs, Families, Gender Equality and Justice from 2016 to 2018. As a parliamentarian, she served as chair of The Greenland Committee and the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region. Olsvig contributed actively to the work of Kalaallit Nunaat’s Constitutional Commission and Human Rights Council. In 2024, Olsvig was a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and was a recipient of the 2023 Womenomics Inclusion Award. In 2026, Olsvig was awarded the Arctic Encounter Friend of the Far North Award. In her academic work, Olsvig specialises within International Relations, particularly in Kalaallit Nunaat’s foreign and security policy relations. She holds a Master of Science in Anthropology from the University of Copenhagen, and a PhD-degree in Arctic studies from Ilisimatusarfik – the University of Greenland.
Halla Hrund Logadóttir is a Member of the Icelandic Parliament and a member of the Nordic Council’s Presidium, helping shape Nordic cooperation on shared regional priorities. Her career spans public leadership, academia, and innovation, with a focus on Arctic governance, energy, and environmental policy. She is a co-founder of the Arctic Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School, where she teaches Arctic affairs, and previously served as Director-General of Iceland’s National Energy Authority, with responsibilities spanning energy, mineral, and water resources. In 2024, she placed third in Iceland’s presidential election. Her published work includes case studies on natural resources and governance in Greenland and Iceland. She holds degrees from the University of Iceland, the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and Harvard Kennedy School.
David Balton is a Senior Fellow with the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative. During the Biden Administration, Balton served as the Executive Director of the U.S. Arctic Executive Steering Committee, which advances and coordinates and U.S. policies and activities in the Arctic region. He previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries in the U.S. Department of State, attaining the rank of Ambassador in 2006. Balton was responsible for coordinating the development of U.S. foreign policy concerning oceans and fisheries, and overseeing U.S. participation in international organizations dealing with these issues. He functioned as the lead U.S. negotiator on a wide range of agreements in the field of oceans and fisheries and has chaired numerous international meetings. He was also a Senior Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
