Programme for Presidency of Nordic Council of Ministers focus on civilian crises preparedness and resilience as well as children and youth

Finland, together with Åland, holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2025. The programme for the Presidency “Nordic Region 2025: United and Strong” was presented at the Nordic Council plenary session in Reykjavik on 29 October.

The aim for Finland and Åland’s Presidency is to support the shared vision of the Nordic region as the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. This goal will be promoted in three  strategic areas: a sustainable Nordic Region, a competitive Nordic Region, and a socially sustainable Nordic Region. The year 2025  marks the start of a crucial period that will extend to 2030, with  the policy sectors of the Nordic Council of Ministers introducing new co-operation programmes.

One of the presidency programme’s  priority areas is societal security , including crises preparedness and resilience. 

“Finland has long emphasised the importance of the concept of comprehensive security  and cooperation on security of supply and preparedness. Our aim is to further strengthen the Nordic region’s resilience and to promote comprehensive preparedness for a variety of civilian crises and hybrid threats. The programme will also focus on children and youth,” says Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

Prime Minister Orpo presented the programme together with the Premier of the  Åland Government Katrin Sjögren.  Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz, who is responsible for Nordic cooperation, and Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala also attended the Nordic Council Session as members of the Finnish delegation.

In addition to the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Finland will also hold the Presidency of the Foreign Ministers’ N5-cooperation and chair the Nordic defence cooperation NORDEFCO in 2025.

Nordic cooperation is one of the oldest regional cooperation structures in the world

Finland,  Denmark,Iceland, Norway and Sweden together with Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland are engaged in official Nordic cooperation within the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council. The Nordic countries started cooperation already in 1952. 

The Nordic Council is the official body for Nordic interparliamentary cooperation. It has 87 members from Finland, Åland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Nordic Council of Ministers is the collaborative body of the governments of the Nordic countries. 

The Nordic prime ministers have the main responsibility for Nordic cooperation. In practice, the responsibility is delegated to the ministers for Nordic cooperation (MR-SAM) and to the Nordic Committee for Cooperation (NSK), which coordinates the day-to-day intergovernmental cooperation.