Participants of the meeting of the Arctic Council under the head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) have decided that the powers of the Regional Committee for Arctic Affairs can be expanded.

At present, Arctic affairs are among the responsibilities of the republic' Regional Committee for Arctic Affairs, the Yakutian Ministry for the Development of Civil Society, and the republic's Ministry for Youth and Family Policy.

"All the related powers must be concentrated in one agency, the Committee for Arctic Affairs, so that we will know who is to be held accountable," said Yelena Golomareva, chairperson of the committee for small indigenous nations of the North and Arctic affairs at the Yakutian legislature.

The Committee for Arctic Affairs will bring in more staff to cover all the issues related to the Arctic.