Overview

• The United States and Canada announced the creation of a task force to negotiate the maritime boundary in the Beaufort Sea.
• This task force aims to resolve overlapping claims on the continental shelf, an area rich in oil and gas deposits.
• The dispute originates from differing interpretations of an 1825 Anglo-Russian treaty inherited by both nations.
• Negotiations are set to begin this fall, with a focus on conservation and sustainable use of Arctic resources.
• The initiative reflects increased strategic interest in the Arctic amid rising cooperation between Russia and China in the region.