The Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee recently approved a bill that paves the way for the ratification of the Spitsbergen or Svalbard Treaty. The treaty, giving rights to countries thousands of kilometers away from the North Pole for commercial activities, is the next step for the country’s expanding interest in the region.

Briefing the committee on the issue last week, Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal said the Spitsbergen archipelago with its proximity to the North Pole was critical for the country’s foray into the Arctic region. "The islands are rich in fisheries and mines. Over time, different countries expressed interest in the region and became a party to the treaty," he told the committee.

Located around 700 kilometers (435 miles) north of the European mainland, Svalbard is governed under a 1920 treaty giving Norway sovereignty but allowing all nations signing it to do business there and exploit its natural resources. Currently, more than 40 countries are allowed as parties to treaties but few exercise their rights.

In the past decade, Türkiye raised its profile both in the Arctic region and Antarctica with scientific expeditions. Most recently, a team of researchers from Turkish universities visited the North Pole for the second expedition in three years. Professor Burcu Özsoy, who led both expeditions, told the Foreign Affairs Committee that a new "Silk Road" emerged in the north with a decline in glaciers and the expansion of commercial routes. Özsoy says studies showed more marine species headed north due to climate change, while maritime resources have now shifted to the region as well. Özsoy and her team run several research projects focusing on the impact of climate change in the Arctic.

"Ratification of this treaty is especially important for conducting scientific studies. The treaty gives all parties equal rights, not only in the archipelago but surrounding seas. The Arctic Ocean contains one third of global hydrocarbon reserves," she said, pointing out the rich natural gas and oil reserves in the region.