New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared awestruck as she stood in the Antarctic hut of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during a rare visit to the continent by a world leader.
Speaking from inside the hut that was built more than a century ago, Ms Ardern said: “I think when you’re a kid and you read stories about Shackleton, you’d never imagine you’d have the opportunity to come. So, I feel pretty lucky.
“It’s a cool place.”
Her visit comes as delegations from 26 nations and the European Union meet in Australia to decide the future of Antarctica’s pristine waters.
Conservationists say new marine protected areas and rules to prevent overfishing in Antarctica are desperately needed, but that Russia could use its veto-like powers to once again block progress.
The motivation for Russia, which did not respond to requests for comment this week, remains unclear.
Ms Ardern’s trip has highlighted some of the challenges of visiting the icy continent.
She made it to Antarctica the next day, accompanied by a single pool journalist whose photos and videos can take many hours to transmit overnight due to the tenuous internet capacity.
She is due to return home on Saturday.
She said it was important for New Zealand to maintain a leadership role on the continent.
“We’re in a period where internationally you see that parts of the world are becoming increasingly contested, and Antarctica is part of that, too,” Ms Ardern said.
She said she did not exactly draw parallels with her own leadership.
“I don’t think I can quite compare government with the hardship and endurance of Antarctic exploration,” she said, before adding with a laugh: “But, some days…”
