Current Affairs

A Twinning project in Azerbaijan, led by Statistics Finland, focusing on Finnish data usage and statistical expertise, was very different from any previous Twinning projects. The project was launched remotely in June 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and it progressed despite the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the new virus variants. The closing event of the project on 11 April 2022 in Baku attracted enormous media attention.

Europe Day is celebrated on 9 May. This year, the main event will be held at Helsinki Central Library Oodi and the programme can be viewed online. The programme includes a wide range of topical discussions on the future of Finland and Europe. As part of the programme, Europe Information of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will organise an open event entitled “European security in transition – the direction of the European Union”.

On 5 May 2022, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior will hold an invitational discussion on Finland’s priorities and objectives for developing the EU’s civilian crisis management and on our national capabilities for comprehensive crisis management.

President of the European Court of Human Rights Robert Spano will visit Finland on 5–6 May.

Nepal is preparing for graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in 2026. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs commissioned a study for an analysis of the changing relationship between Finland and Nepal, because the cooperation will expand and partnerships will diversify after the transition.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Italy on 2–5 May.

According to a recent report, Finland’s response to partner countries’ needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was prompt and flexible. The report also assesses what Finland could do better in future crises.

At the presidential session on Friday 29 April, the President of the Republic appointed three new Ambassadors.

Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde will visit Finland on Friday 29 April and have a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. Follow the live webcast of the press conference at 12.00.

A significant part of Finland’s support to Ukraine comes from development cooperation funds. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have both increased and adjusted the cooperation so that it better responds to the acute distress and strengthens Ukrainian society in the midst of the war,” says Senior Adviser Matti Väänänen.

Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde will visit Finland on Friday 29 April and have a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will meet Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares on 27 April. Follow the live webcast of the press conference at 18.30 o'clock.

The Security Committee has granted its 2021 Timanttiteko (Diamond Act) award to the Foreign Ministry’s AI-assisted data analytics experiment. According to the Security Committee, the project has been exemplary in implementing the objectives of the Security Strategy for Society.

Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist will attend a meeting of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation on 26 April. The meeting will be held virtually. The main topics will be the Nordic Council of Ministers cooperation with neighbouring regions in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nordic cooperation in times of crisis and the dialogue between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council for developing the Council of Ministers budget.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will meet Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares in Helsinki on 27 April.

Päivi Sillanaukee, Ambassador for Health and Wellbeing at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, will attend the DMEA exhibition in Berlin together with a Team Finland business delegation on 26–27 April 2022.

International actors are focusing on life-saving measures in preparation for a conference on drought in the Horn of Africa arranged for 26 April. Half of the population of Somalia needs humanitarian support due to a drought affecting the entire country coupled with ongoing conflict.

The sad news of Minister Ilkka Kanerva’s passing reached the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Thursday, 14 April. Kanerva served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2008.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), headquartered in Copenhagen, has informed the Ministry for Foreign Affairs that an internal investigation has been initiated into possible misconduct by the Chief Executive of UNOPS Sustainable Investments in Infrastructure and Innovation (S3i) initiative.

Road transport by Russian and Belarusian road transport companies in the EU and access to EU ports of vessels registered under the Russian flag is prohibited.