Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples Secretariat

The Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples Secretariat (IPS) is the office for the six international indigenous organizations affiliated with the eight-nation Arctic Council. The IPS does not directly represent indigenous peoples or their organizations, but assists those organizations in presenting their causes, and helps to disseminate information among them. Such work includes collection and distribution of documents and reports related to the work of the Arctic Council and its working groups, coordinating among indigenous peoples, facilitating their meetings with each other and helping them to participate in and to present their views to the Arctic Council and its working groups.


Governing Board and staff

A Governing Board, chosen from among the six indigenous peoples' groups that are permanent participants, directs the work of IPS and approves its annual work agenda. Permanent participants choose the Chair of the Governing Board, a position that rotates among the six indigenous groups. The current Chair, Rodion Sulyandziga, representing Russian indigenous peoples, assumed the two-year post in 2011; the previous incumbent was Tommy Pedersen of the Saami Council, who had held the post since 2009. 
The working language for meetings of the IPS is English; official communications, however, are published in both English and Russian. The Executive Secretary, currently Erik Gant, is responsible for daily operations and for directing IPS staff. Workplace rules and regulations, as well as accounting and auditing procedures, follow Danish law.