Norway sends preparedness expert to EU advisory mission in…

Norway sends preparedness expert to EU advisory mission in Greenland

Norway's DSB has sent host nation support expert Elena Olonkin Swahn to join an EU Civil Protection Mechanism advisory team assessing Greenland's crisis management capabilities. The mission comes amid growing Arctic geopolitical tensions and rising climate-related disaster risks like wildfires, landslides and floods.

Daniel TrangeledNORWAY01 Oct 2026Original Source

Norway's Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) has sent an expert to Greenland as part of an international advisory team. The team will help Greenland's self-government assess and develop its crisis management system.

A key focus is host nation support, Greenland's ability to receive international assistance in a disaster or other major incident. The team includes experts from eight countries. It is organised through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), in which Norway takes part on equal terms with EU member states.

Norway's contribution is Elena Olonkin Swahn, a DSB specialist in host nation support. According to DSB, the team will meet key preparedness actors and authorities in Greenland and then draw up concrete recommendations. Its final report will also set out what help the international community could offer in a major emergency.

– The geopolitical situation in the Arctic has made the need for well-functioning crisis management more pressing, said DSB director Lars Jacob Hiim.

He added that wildfires, landslides, tsunamis and floods are expected to become more common in Greenland due to global warming.

Common questions about the article

Questions and answers generated automatically from the article content.

01Who is Norway's representative on the EU advisory mission to Greenland?

Norway's Directorate for Civil Protection sent Elena Olonkin Swahn, a DSB specialist in host nation support, to join the advisory team. She is part of a group including experts from eight countries organised through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Last fact-checked: 2026-10-01.

02What is the main purpose of the international advisory team sent to Greenland?

03Why has the need for crisis management in Greenland become more urgent according to DSB?