High North – regional civil preparedness cooperation
The civil preparedness efforts in the two northernmost regions of Finland, Sweden, and Norway are united under the High North Cooperation. The aim is to strengthen and expand this unique cooperation. Therefore, we exchange information and experiences, identify common risks, and organise joint events and train together.
Today’s geopolitical situation in the High North highlights that close cooperation is needed now more than ever. The inclusion of all nations in NATO has further strengthened cooperation and highlighted its necessity.
Together we are stronger in facing crises.
How can military forces move rapidly across the High North while civilian services continue to rely on functioning transport networks – even during a crisis? This was the focus of the International Cooperation Course 2026 (ICC2026), which brought together key stakeholders from Finland, Sweden and Norway.
June 10, 2026 — The inaugural meeting of the Mass Casualty Incident Management Network brought together healthcare and emergency management professionals from Norway, Sweden and Finland to strengthen cross-border cooperation and improve preparedness for major incidents.
In early June, communication professionals from the High North Cooperation (HNC) travelled to Riga to attend the Riga StratCom Dialogue 2026. The delegation also had the opportunity to visit NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence to learn more about the centre and discuss a strategy for countering information influence in the HNC region. The week in Riga offered valuable opportunities for networking with communication experts from all over the world, as well as within the HNC group.
