Current Affairs

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will attend an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 2 October.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen met France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in Helsinki on Thursday, 28 September.

The energy transition is reaching new heights, according to the Kauppapolitiikka magazine. The theme of the September issue is the future of wind power.

International trade impacts the goods and services that are produced and consumed in countries. It also affects employment opportunities and working conditions. Not everyone is able to benefit, however. Disadvantaged groups, such as persons with disabilities have limited access to the opportunities generated by trade and they disproportionately shoulder adjustment.

The Finnish Act on the Export Control of Dual-Use Items will be reformed. At the same time, Finland’s national regulations will be made more compatible with the EU Regulation. In addition, it is proposed that the legislation be updated to ensure that the national regulations meet the needs of the changing operating environment.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will host France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in Finland.

Finland’s military participation in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has ended and the remaining Finnish soldiers serving in the peacekeeping mission have returned home. The mission has supported the transitional authorities of Mali to create and maintain a safe operating environment to reconstruct their country.

Russia announced its decision to withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council on 18 September. The Barents cooperation will now continue between Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and the European Union, as it has continued since the Barents partners condemned Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine in March 2022.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen delivered the Nordic-Baltic statement at 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on 21 September 2023. The statement was delivered as part of the Interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.

The floods in Libya and the earthquake in Morocco have killed thousands of people. How is Finland supporting the relief efforts? How will Finland’s assistance reach its destination and why is Finland’s support important? Niklas Saxen, Senior Adviser for Humanitarian Assistance at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Teemu Sepponen, Finland’s Ambassador in Tunis, and Marjaana Sall, Finland’s Ambassador to Morocco, answer these questions.

Finland will make its first country strategy for India. The DESI Initiative will strengthen Finland’s competitive positioning on the Indian market.

The Finnish Government proposes EUR 1.3 billion in appropriations for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Ministry will continue to support Ukraine in 2024, as outlined in the Government programme.

The Finnish Chef Association has published Finnish food recipes (‘Suomiruoka-reseptiikka’) to promote Finland’s country branding and food exports. The recipes will serve Finnish embassies and missions around the world and those organising international meetings and events in Finland. When ready, the material will be freely available to everyone. The material was produced under an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Finland will implement the European Commission’s guidance (FAQ) on prohibiting the import of vehicles registered in Russia.

The high-level meetings of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) will start in New York on Monday 18 September. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend ministerial events in New York and have bilateral meetings with their counterparts and with representatives of the UN. Minister Tavio’s programme will also include meetings to promote Finland’s commercial and economic interests in the New York metropolitan area.

Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson will attend a virtual meeting of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation on 13 September. Henriksson is the minister responsible for Nordic cooperation in the current Finnish Government.

The main topics on the meeting agenda will be the World Bank reform process and support to Ukraine. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will represent Finland at the meeting.

On Friday 6 October 2023, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will organise an event where all stakeholders are welcome to come and discuss the project to reform the Act on the Export Control of Dual-Use Items. An export control clinic designed for those who export dual-use items will be organised on the same occasion.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will host Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel in Finland. Live webcast from the press conference can be followed online from 12.15 Finnish time.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will hold its 54th session from 11 September to 13 October in Geneva, Switzerland.