France and Canada are sending diplomats to Greenland—but Jannik became consul for three countries by chance.

If asked whether Jannik Isidor speaks Flemish, French, Dutch, German, or Luxembourgish, the answer is clear:

- No.

The same goes if you ask whether his ties to Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands are strong.

Yet, these are the three countries for which Jannik Isidor serves as an honorary consul—so why did he take on the role?

- I didn’t know much about it, but it sounded interesting and exciting, says Jannik Isidor.

- At the law firm where I’m employed, the previous honorary consul for these three countries was also a staff member. Since he stopped, he asked if it was something I might be interested in, says Jannik Isidor.

So far, almost all consulates in Greenland have been run by so-called honorary consuls—and by them alone.

Today, France and Canada cut the red tape when their consulates open, replacing the part-time honorary consuls with “career consuls.”

- We’re very excited that they’re coming. They are career consuls, and it’s their job, unlike ours, says Jannik Isidor.

Jannik Isidor gives a tour of his law firm:

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A kind of political tour guide

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Jannik Isidor is 50 years old, has lived in Greenland for the past 15 years, and works daily as a lawyer at Arctic Law Greenland.

In his free time, he plays board games like *Dominion* and *Terraforming Mars*, goes hunting, and sails through the fjords.

In 2022, he could also add honorary consul to his long list of hobbies. Within just half a year, Jannik Isidor became honorary consul for Belgium, while it took a full year before he was also appointed for the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2023.

- It actually went surprisingly fast. You first need approval from the sending country, then it has to be discussed with the Danish Foreign Ministry, and since it’s in Greenland, the Greenlandic government also has to give the green light, says Jannik Isidor.

- So it can indeed be a lengthy process.

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General consulates and honorary consulates

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Consulates come in varying sizes and have different responsibilities.

A general consulate is a country’s diplomatic representation in a region, typically led by a diplomatic envoy from that country. They handle commercial and cultural tasks and assist distressed citizens.

An honorary consulate is led by an honorary consul, who is not employed or sent by the country in question but appointed in their personal capacity and relies on a profession for their livelihood. Honorary consuls work unpaid and primarily help citizens in distress (lost passports, accidents, imprisonment), provide consular assistance, and promote local trade and culture.

Source: Danish Foreign Ministry.

As part of Jannik Isidor’s work as honorary consul for Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium, he primarily assists citizens of these three countries in emergencies.

- If a citizen loses or misplaces their passport, I can help issue an emergency travel document in cooperation with the relevant embassy so they can return home and obtain a permanent one.

- My role is also to step in if a citizen faces legal trouble with the country, such as being stranded or involved in a traffic accident. Fortunately, I haven’t had to deal with that yet, says Jannik Isidor.

So far, his duties have mostly involved acting as a kind of political tour guide when representatives from the three countries visit.

At the entrance to Jannik Isidor’s workplace hang the coats of arms of Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. *(Photo: © Private)*

- I help arrange meetings that the ambassadors might need, and I participate if they think it’s relevant and if I have time.

- I organize this together with the protocol chief from the Government of Greenland, so the ambassadors get an exciting stay with an engaging program and can meet with the people they want to talk to, says Jannik Isidor.

It’s really about what you make of it. He actually receives a modest payment from the Netherlands for the work, which is otherwise not the norm, while he gets nothing from either Belgium or Luxembourg. But it’s not about the money.

- It’s exciting to get access to something you normally wouldn’t deal with, he says.

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12 countries have consulates in Greenland

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Currently, there are 14 consulates in Greenland representing: Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Iceland, the United States, and Germany. The EU also has one.

Most are honorary consulates, with the exception of the U.S., Iceland, and the EU, and from today also France and Canada, which have upgraded their presence and now open general consulates.

Denmark has around 400 honorary consuls worldwide, and honorary consulates can also be found in places like Esbjerg, representing countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, and Sweden.

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A diplomatic upgrade

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When Canada and France now open general consulates in Greenland, it’s a diplomatic upgrade, explains political science professor Martin Marcussen.

While the two countries previously had honorary consuls in the form of private individuals who, like Jannik Isidor, worked part-time as representatives, the upgrade means that diplomats are now being sent, and the countries gain a more official presence.

When French President Emmanuel Macron visited Greenland this summer, it was decided that a consulate would be opened. *(Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)*

And it’s mostly a symbolic decision, says Martin Marcussen.

- It’s primarily about signaling that you’ve noticed Greenland and are present, representing another party to the superpowers like the Americans, Chinese, and Russians, who have interests there, he says.

- It’s a new way to use general consulates. You can’t claim that there are many Canadians or French people in Greenland, or that it’s a major market for French or Canadian products that needs to be served, he says.

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