Minister Skinnari to visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar from 24 to 27 October 2022. During his visit, Minister Skinnari will meet Saudi Arabian and Qatari ministers and representatives of business life. In addition, he will deliver a keynote address at the international Future Investment Initiative Forum (FII), which will be held in Riyadh on from 25 to 27 October.

The aim of the visit is to strengthen the commercial and economic relations Finland has with the two countries. Saudi Arabia is Finland’s most important trading partner in the Persian Gulf region. It has launched a major economic reform and investment programme, Vision 2030. The country aims to achieve carbon neutrality (net zero) by 2060. To achieve this target, it has announced significant circular economy projects, aiming to recycle 80 per cent of all waste by the end of the decade, among other objectives.

The Saudi Arabia market offers many opportunities for Finnish companies in the utilisation of AI and digitalisation and in the fields of circular economy, green energy production, education, healthcare and mining. 

Qatar is the richest country in the world based on gross domestic product per capita. It aims to diversify the structure of its economy as part a national Vision 2030 programme. This ambitious plan centres on promoting the green transition, building a knowledge-based economy, reinforcing competitiveness, and investing in transport, education, healthcare and telecommunications. Finnish companies have cutting-edge expertise and technology in these sectors. In December 2021, Finland opened an Embassy in Doha to foster good relations and promote trade.

Inquiries

Reetta Härönoja, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 295 350 740

 

Tiina Vainio, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 50 524 6559

 

Claus Jerker Lindroos, Deputy Director General, Department for Africa and the Middle East, tel. +358 295 351 234

 

The email addresses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.