Division of responsibility and coordination

A consistent Sami policy is dependent on good coordination between the Ministries involved. The Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation has overriding responsibility for coordinating Sami matters. The sector ministries are responsible for taking initiatives and following up the implementation of Sami policy in their respective sectors. This also applies to arrangements administered by the Sami Parliament (Sámediggi).

It is the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisations' responsibility to ensure that the Government’s Sami policy as a whole is implemented. This entails different roles in relation to the other ministries - informing them about Sami policy and ensuring that Sami policy is included when sector policy is formulated, monitoring and assessing the consequences of sector policy in relation to Sami policy, maintaining an overview of allocations to Sami policy measures, acting as liaison between the sector ministries and Sámediggi, and ensuring that procedures for consultations and participation are complied with. It is also the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisations' task to assist ministries that intend to carry out studies of issues that directly affect the Sami population.

The Ministry’s coordinating role means that the results of Sami policy are primarily visible through the work done by other ministries and by  Sámediggi.

The different sector ministries have direct and indirect responsibility for Sami policy issues in that they administer regulations intended to safeguard the special rights of the Sami population (e.g. parts of the Sami Act and the Education Act, international conventions and the Reindeer Husbandry Act). They are also responsible for general areas of policy that may have particular consequences for the Sami population and for political measures in the northernmost counties and/or outlying areas whose primary target group is not the Sami people, but which also have consequences for Sámi people who live in these areas.

Sámediggi is the prime definer of terms and dialogue partner for the Government in its Sami policy. Sámediggi has also taken over administrative responsibility and policy instruments in certain areas.