Pikialasorsuaq Meeting of the Parties Nuuk, September 11-12, 2024 

Inuit Recommendations 

1. Using the framework of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as fundamental to Inuit pursuit of an Inuit-led management approach for Pikialasorsuaq. 
2. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes and reaffirms collective rights of Indigenous Peoples, which are indispensable for Inuit’s existence, well-being and integral development as peoples. 
3. On the basis of such collective rights, Inuit across Canada and Kalaallit Nunaat provide the following recommendations to the further process of the future Inuit-led management of the area known as Pikialasorsuaq. 
4. Pikialasorsuaq should be the name of the initiative, acknowledging that the term does not reflect the placenames of the regional dialects. 
5. Inuit recognize that the Letter of Intent on Cooperation for the Pikialasorsuaq only addresses a part of the first of three recommendations of the Pikialasorsuaq Commission Report from 2017. 
6. Inuit recommend the Governments to proceed with addressing and implementing the full set of recommendations from the Pikialasorsuaq Commission. 
7. Inuit emphasize that Governments hold a responsibility to support and facilitate cross-border cooperation between Inuit and the management of Pikialasorsuaq should reflect this. 
8. The mandate of the steering committee should be to develop the management framework, and to establish an Inuit Management Authority as recommended by the Pikialasorsuaq Commission. 
9. The framework that is developed for the management of Pikialasorsuaq should ensure that it is Inuit governed and Inuit-led. 
10. Inuit recognize that the implementation of the Letter of Intent is a governmental process and recommend that the steering committee is co-chaired from one of the Inuit organizations based on the right for self-determination. 
11. The language used in the work of Pikialasorsuaq should reflect the dialects used in the Pikialasorsuaq region, Inuktitut, Inuktun and Kalaallisut Kitaamiusut. 
12. Inuit thus recommend the Governments, with the full and effective participation of the Inuit organizations, to initiate a formal process on determining the language and terms. 
13. Inuit also recommend the Governments to initiate a formal process on implementation and recognition Inuit Knowledge systems and the ethical and equitable engagement of Inuit Knowledge Holders, based on the principles and protocols of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the Circumpolar Inuit Protocols for Equitable and Ethical Engagement. 
14. Inuit recommends Governments, with the full and effective participation of the Inuit organizations, to conduct a formal process to determine who constitutes the “communities” and the “rightsholders” of the Pikialasorsuaq region. 
15. Inuit Knowledge should be the overarching knowledge system referred to in the work on Pikialasorsuaq. 
16. The communities and rightsholders of the Pikialasorsuaq should fully and effectively participate in the Pikialasorsuaq Initiative. This includes timely information and funding for participation. 
17. Whether the Inuit Management Authority could be the facilitating body to approve research, maritime and industrial/development activities in Pikialasorsuaq region should be seriously considered. 
18. Inuit strongly recommend that Inuit Circumpolar Council, Qiqiktani Inuit Association and Avannaata Kommunia are members of the Joint Pikialasorsuaq Steering Committee in addition to the Governments as stated in the Letter of Intent on Cooperation for the Pikialasorsuaq. Furthermore, Inuit support inclusivity of community members and rightsholders of the region. 
19. The ICC Pikialasorsuaq Implementation Committee has been established to continue pursuing the implementation of all recommendations of the Pikialasorsuaq Commission Report of 2017, and we call on the Governments to support this work financially. 
20. Inuit recommend Governments to decide on a threshold on shipping and marine research activities in Pikialasorsuaq, and to pursue the recognition of this threshold through international fora such as the International Maritime Organization. 
21. Reaffirming “the parties” as being those that participated in the closed part of the first Meeting of the Parties in Nuuk, September 2024, we recommend that annual Meetings of the Parties, are held, that the Inuit organizations fully and effectively participate in the drafting of the Terms of Reference for the Joint Steering Committee, and that technical meetings are held more frequently in continuing the work of the technical committee established by the ICC and QIA.