The Inuit Circumpolar Council has appointed James Stotts as its new chairman, signalling a change in leadership in the international Inuit organization.

An Inupiaq from Barrow, Alaska, Stotts replaces fellow Alaskan Patricia Cochran, who resigned as council chairwoman last week.

The council would only say that Cochran resigned for personal reasons.

Stotts has been active with the Inuit Circumpolar Council as both its executive director and as an executive council member.

In a release, Stotts said his priority will be implementing the 2006 Utqiagvik Declaration, which laid out the council's vision for the next four years.

The declaration includes a commitment to continue working on issues of importance to Inuit, such as climate change and toxic contaminants in the Arctic environment.

He said he will also focus on improving co-operation among the Inuit Circumpolar Council's offices in Canada, Greenland and Chukotka, Russia.

Cochran was appointed chairwoman of the commission in 2006, taking over from Sheila Watt-Cloutier. Her term was set to expire next year.