Turkey’s accession to the Svalbard Treaty, originally known as the Spitsbergen Treaty, which governs the Svalbard Archipelago in the Arctic region, has officially taken effect, according to a presidential decree.
The treaty gives Turkish citizens and companies rights to acquire property, reside and conduct fishing and mining activities in the region.
The accession, first approved on April 11, 2024, was formalized through a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on March 7 following Turkey’s official entry as a party to the treaty on October 4, 2023.
The Spitsbergen Treaty, signed February 9, 1920, in Paris and effective since August 14, 1925, recognizes Norway’s sovereignty over the Svalbard Archipelago while granting citizens of signatory nations equal rights to own property, reside, fish, mine and conduct scientific research.
The region is demilitarized under the treaty, prohibiting naval bases and military installations, while Norway maintains sovereignty despite guaranteed access rights for signatory nations.
About 60 percent of the archipelago is covered by glaciers, with numerous mountains and fjords dotting the landscape.
The largest island, Spitsbergen, gave its name to the 1920 treaty that now allows citizens from over 40 signatory nations equal rights to establish settlements and conduct activities in the region, although primarily Norway and Russia maintain permanent settlements.
With Turkey’s accession, Turkish scientists will conduct research at a planned Turkish Science Station, while students can study at the University Centre in Svalbard, a Norwegian state-owned limited company that is involved in research and provides some higher education in Arctic studies.
Turkey aims to leverage the Arctic’s natural resources and bolster its scientific and economic presence in the region, according to Foreign Ministry officials, while maintaining its goal of becoming an observer member of the Arctic Council.
The council, established in 1996, is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation among Arctic states and indigenous communities on environmental and sustainable development issues.
In recent years, Turkey has conducted scientific expeditions to the Arctic. The fourth National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition (TASE-IV), organized by the TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, was completed between June 26 and July 25 last year in Norway’s exclusive economic zone, Svalbard, and its territorial waters.