New Ambassador to Manila, side-accreditation to Cape Verde and authorisation to represent Finland in UNECA

At the presidential session on Friday 18 September, the President of the Republic appointed a new ambassador and decided on two authorisations to represent Finland.

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Juha Pyykkö to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Manila, starting on 1 November 2020. Pyykkö will move to Manila from the Department for the Americas and Asia, where he has worked on a special assignment since the beginning of September. In 2017–2020, he served as Finland's Ambassador to Athens.  In 2013–2017, Pyykkö worked as Director of the Unit for International Environmental Policy in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In 2005–2007, he served as Special Adviser to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in New Delhi, Canberra, Bangkok and the Permanent Delegation of Finland to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Pyykkö joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1995. He holds two university degrees: Master of Social Sciences and Master of Arts.

Additionally, the President of the Republic authorised Ambassador Satu Suikkari-Kleven to represent Finland in Cape Verde and authorised the Head of Finland’s Embassy in  Addis Ababa, Outi Holopainen, to work in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Inquiries: Kirsti Pohjankukka, Deputy Director General for Human Resources, tel. +358 29 535 0038