The secretary of state is in Fairbanks for a meeting with the world’s eight Arctic nations amid concerns about the future of the sensitive region after President Donald Trump called for more oil drilling and development.
Rex Tillerson landed on Wednesday afternoon and immediately held a meeting with a congressional delegation as well as Arctic representatives from Alaska’s indigenous people.
Protesters gathered in a city park nearby to denounce the presence of Tillerson, who is the former president of Exxon Mobil Corp.
The Arctic Council is an advisory body that promotes cooperation among member nations and indigenous groups. Its focus is sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic.
It does not make policy or allocate resources, and its decisions must be unanimous.
