Arctic expert Micheal Sfraga is officially the first person to serve as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs after the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination Tuesday.
Sfraga, a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has spent his career in Arctic research and advocacy. In addition to being a professor, he also held several administrative roles at UAF over the years.
He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) who has long pushed for Sfraga’s confirmation, said his ambassadorship is necessary amid increasingly common Chinese and Russian military activity in the Arctic.
“Finally, we have officially joined the rest of the Arctic nations at the table,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said.
“Our new Ambassador will not only help America push back against our adversaries’ heightened aggression in the Arctic, but will also be a critical resource in advocating for economic expansion in this increasingly vital region.”
In July, multiple Chinese and Russian bombers were spotted operating near Alaska’s coast, and on Sept. 10 both countries’ militaries conducted a joint training exercise with hundreds of warships and aircraft near Alaska.
“We’ve come to expect six or seven incursions a year,” Murkowski said during a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday. “In just five days, our air defenses were tested almost as much as they tend to be tested in any given year.”
Sfraga’s confirmation was delayed for over a year partly due to opposition from some members of Congress, including U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
“He [Sfraga] has consistently advocated for a ‘competition-free’ Arctic despite Russia and China’s ongoing efforts to undermine U.S. and allied interests in the region,” Risch said earlier this year. “All of this shows a concerning lack of judgment, which could make Dr. Sfraga a liability our adversaries could exploit if confirmed.”
On Tuesday, Murkowski defended Sfraga’s past trips to China and Russia, saying his relationships with other Arctic leaders is exactly what makes him the best fit for the ambassador position.
“Dr. Sfraga has been criticized for attending international forums, but remember: he was hardly the only American or U.S. government official in attendance at these events,” Murkowski said. “He’s just the only one being criticized for it, even though his participation helped give us a voice at those events.
“Dr. Sfraga has decades of experience, deep expertise and strong relationships with Arcic leaders,” Murkowski added. “Our allies support him, our Arctic partners support him, Alaskans support him and I support him.”
Contact Carter DeJong at 907-459-7545 or cdejong@newsminer.com.
