Being part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the foreign relations of Greenland are handled in cooperation with the government of Denmark and the government of Greenland.
Unlike Denmark, Greenland is not part of the European Union (EU). The country its status was changed to an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT) associated with the EU, a dependent territory that has a special relationship with a member state of the EU. However, Greenland remains a full member of the Council of Europe and NATO.
See main article: List of diplomatic missions in Greenland.
With the Kingdom of Denmark having the responsibility for Greenland's international affairs, other countries often do not have direct diplomatic representation in Greenland—their embassies or consulates in Denmark are responsible for their relations with Greenland and their citizens in Greenland. Greenland is represented internationally by both the Greenland Representations and the embassies and consulates of Denmark. Further Greenland participates in the parliamentary Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, and organisations as the West Nordic Council and the EU-based Overseas Countries and Territories Association, the latter being former colonies of the EU (dependent countries/territories).
The United States reopened its consulate in Nuuk, closed in 1953, in June 2020.[1]
Greenland has representative offices in several countries and otherwise is represented by embassies of Denmark worldwide. The Self-Government Act of 2009 allows the government of Greenland to open diplomatic offices, mainly within areas of full jurisdiction of Greenland, this being foreign trade, industry, fisheries, education, science, mining etc. Further greenlandic diplomates, representing the government of Greenland, participates in areas of shared responsibilities between Denmark and Greenland, this mainly being observed in the defence cooperation between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States.
See also: List of diplomatic missions in Greenland.