Foreign Minister Haavisto to the high-level week of the UN General Assembly

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 74) in New York.

The main events of the high-level week will include the Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit and Sustainable Development Goals Summit. Finland’s delegation will be led by President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö, who will deliver Finland’s address at the annual General Debate on Tuesday 24 September. The high-level week will also be attended by Minister of Development and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen, and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru.  

The key priorities in Finland’s UN policy include defending the rules-based system and reform the UN, participating in the prevention of conflicts and in mediation, strengthening the rights of women and girls, and supporting sustainable development.

“Finland's priorities are well in line with the UN Secretary-General's priorities and the UN’s goals. Finland contributes actively to actions aimed at bolstering the UN’s position and its ability to operate effectively, as well as at the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda,” Pekka Haavisto says.

Minister Haavisto's programme during the high-level week will focus on conflict prevention and mediation. In mediation matters, Finland wants to work to enhance women’s and young people’s participation in peace processes. During the UN week, Foreign Minister Haavisto will host a meeting of the Group of Friends of Mediation on new technologies.

"Finland wants to build peace and offer solutions. Conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding have been Finland’s long-term foreign policy priorities and they are being placed even stronger emphasis. Additionally, human rights and equality are among the key issues in the conduct of Finland’s foreign policy,” Haavisto stresses.

Minister Haavisto will also attend events related to Africa, Syria and the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as events focusing on humanitarian law and human rights. He will attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers, a CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty) conference, and a dinner hosted by US Foreign Secretary Pompeo, where transatlantic relations will be discussed.

While in New York, Minister Haavisto will have several bilateral meetings with ministers from different countries. He will also hold meetings with UN leaders and representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) specialising in conflicts and human rights.

More information about the Foreign Minister's programme: Anna Salovaara, Director of the Unit for UN and General Global Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 018, Jeri Aalto, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. + 358 50 472 0725

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are of the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.