The Naleraq politician Jens Napãtôᴋ’, who is a member of Inatsisartut and 1st deputy mayor of Avannaata Kommunia, has over the years focused on the conditions in the settlements. Via section 37 questions, he wanted to get clarity on which initiatives Naalakkersuisut has initiated to involve KANUNUPE in political processes.
Within the past three years, Naalakkersuisut has had an increased dialogue with the village association, and it is desired to further strengthen the cooperation – including also with the village boards, it appears in the reply note from Naalakkersuisoq for Social Affairs, Labor Market, Families and Home Affairs, Maritha Broberg, Atassut.
The Naleraq politician Jens Napãtôᴋ’, who is a member of Inatsisartut and 1st deputy mayor of Avannaata Kommunia, has over the years focused on the conditions in the settlements. Via section 37 questions, he wanted to get clarity on which initiatives Naalakkersuisut has initiated to involve KANUNUPE in political processes.
Within the past three years, Naalakkersuisut has had an increased dialogue with the village association, and it is desired to further strengthen the cooperation – including also with the village boards, it appears in the reply note from Naalakkersuisoq for Social Affairs, Labor Market, Families and Home Affairs, Maritha Broberg, Atassut.
Inquiries from KANUNUPE
In November 2023, KANUNUPE’s then chairman Karl Petersen, Siumut, who was elected in 2022, made a request to Naalakkersuisut regarding the consequences of the Finance Act for the settlements and residences in the outer districts. This inquiry was dealt with by Naalakkersuisut in December of the same year, after which a combined response from several specialist departments was sent in February 2024. Maritha Broberg states that Naalakkersuisut has subsequently been in continuous dialogue with KANUNUPE for the past three years.
Karl Petersen died in 2024, after which the chairmanship passed to Ingvar Motzfeldt, Siumut.
– KANUNUPE was invited to participate as an observer in the Political Coordination Group (PKG) in September 2024 in Nuuk. In this connection, Naalakkersuisut recognized the village association’s role as a representative of the interests of the villages, Maritha Broberg states.
In May 2025, KANUNUPE’s current chairman Ingvar Lundblad from Qeqertarsuatsiaat made another request to Naalakkersuisoq for Social Affairs, Labor Market, Families and Home Affairs in the desire for a meeting regarding the village association’s future plans and upcoming national meeting.
Increased involvement
According to Maritha Broberg, Naalakkersuisut has in recent years taken some steps to involve KANUNUPE in relevant political processes. According to her, the most obvious is an invitation from August 2024, where the village association was given the opportunity to participate as an observer at the PKG meeting in September of the same year.
According to the Department for Housing, Infrastructure, Outlying Districts and Preparedness, KANUNUPE was also invited to a representative meeting on the Action Plan for the country’s outlying districts in March this year.
– Among other things, a dialogue was held about future cooperation with the action plan, including the possibilities of including the perspectives and experiences of the outer districts in the upcoming process.
– KANUNUPE continues to be involved in the work with the development of the Action Plan for the country’s outer districts, it appears in the response note.
In this, it is pointed out that the village association is already involved in the work around the development of initiatives and efforts targeted at the smaller settlements on the coast.
Weakened
Maritha Broberg and Naalakkersuisut are aware that KANUNUPE is in a difficult situation at the present time. The latest village conference was held in 2022, while the latest meeting of the follow-up group took place in 2018.
She points out that it was not possible for KANUNUPE to hold board elections, among other things, because the village association had not received municipal funding.
Naalakkersuisut therefore assesses that the structural basis for the settlements’ representation and voice in national processes has weakened and this is considered to be a problem that requires increased attention and action.
In the period from 2023 to 2024, Naalakkersuisut has dealt with a number of the association’s challenges, which, among other things, consist of problems with regard to the co-build house scheme, supply and passenger transport problems, TUSASS obligations, health transport and renovation in the settlements.
Last year in September, Naalakkersuisut set up an inter-departmental task force whose purpose is to draw up an action plan for the outer districts. In addition, Inatsisartut decided in November 2025 that Naalakkersuisut is charged, together with KANUNUPE and the five municipalities, to prepare this action plan.
More concrete measures
Jens Napãtôᴋ’ is surprised by the clause-37 answer as he believes that Naalakkersuisut should be more open to building an even closer collaboration with KANUNUPE and village boards.
– Conditions in the settlements have worsened significantly in recent years and the population in the outlying areas is falling. That is why I miss more concrete measures from Naalakkersuisut that can remedy the situation in the settlements, he says.
Per Ole Frederiksen, Siumut, from Attu, who is vice-chairman of KANUNUPE, finds it difficult to recognize Naalakkersuisut’s announcement that the village association has at present gained greater influence in political decisions that relate to conditions in the outlying areas.
– It is correct that KANUNUPE had been involved to a greater extent when the late Karl Petersen was chairman. But I think that the contact between Naalakkersuisut and KANUNUPE has been declining afterwards, he says.
However, he expresses pleasure at the announcement from Naalakkersuisoq for Social Affairs, Labor Market, Families and Home Affairs that they want to strengthen the cooperation further in the future.
