Dr. Mike Sfraga Confirmed as US Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs

Washington---The Wilson Center congratulates Dr. Mike Sfraga on his confirmation as the first US Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs. 

The Office of the Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs leads and coordinates the advancement of US interests in the Arctic related to safety and security, sustainable economic growth, and strengthening cooperation among Arctic States to perpetuate and defend the rules-based order in the region.

“Mike Sfraga’s confirmation is good news for America’s leadership on the world stage —especially, of course in the Arctic," said Ambassador Mark A. Green, President and CEO of the Wilson Center. "As the founder of the Wilson Center's Polar Institute, he was instrumental in publicly reaffirming the strategic importance of the Arctic region, and I am confident that as the first US Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs, Mike will be an effective advocate for US interests and sound national security, environmental, and economic policies. We are proud of him and his work."  

As Chair and Distinguished Fellow of the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute, of which he is the founding Director, Dr. Sfraga has played a pivotal role in shaping conversations on the Arctic’s geopolitical, environmental, and economic future. Dr. Sfraga brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served as Chair of the US Arctic Research Commission, and as an affiliate professor at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), speaking from the Senate floor on Tuesday, described Ambassador Sfraga as an “accomplished geographer, researcher, and teacher, with a PhD from the University of Alaska.” 

Sen. Murkowski commended Sfraga’s “decades of experience, deep expertise, and strong relationships with Arctic leaders,” adding that, “our allies support him, our Arctic partners support him, Alaskans support him, and I support him.”  

His confirmation today underscores the critical importance of the Arctic to the United States and the world.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Wilson Center provides a strictly nonpartisan space for the worlds of policymaking and scholarship to interact. By conducting relevant and timely research and promoting dialogue from all perspectives, it works to address the critical current and emerging challenges confronting the United States and the world. 

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