Unit for the Middle East

The Unit for the Middle East is responsible for the following issues:

  • bilateral relations, the EU’s external relations and multilateral institutions in all fields of cooperation (political, trade policy, commercial and economic, cultural and development cooperation) in respect of these countries
  • regional organisations and other bodies of cooperation
  • contribution to the conflict prevention efforts in the countries as a part of Finland’s general foreign policy
  • monitoring of the operation of international organisations and financing institutions in the countries and participation in the policy formulation processes of these organizations, as appropriate, and provision of expert advice on the countries and the region to other Departments of the Ministry.

Email

  • ALI-10@gov.fi

Post address

Unit for the Middle East
PO Box 176
00023
GOVERNMENT
FINLAND

Visiting address

Laivastokatu 22
00160
HELSINKI
FINLAND

Personnel

Riikka Eela
Director
  • +358 295 350 147
Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen
Ambassador, Helsinki Policy Forum and the Gulf region
  • +358 295 351 093
CV

Persian Gulf Team

Saila Barke
Counsellor
Team Leader
Persian Gulf
Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen
  • +358 295 350 226
Simo Ristolainen
Desk Officer
Iraq
  • +358 295 350 207
Vera Jegorenkov
Desk Officer
United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain
  • +358 295 350 064

Middle East Peace Process (MEPP) Team

Sami Wacklin
Team Leader
  • +358 295 350 741
Mika Ruotsalainen
Desk Officer
Syria
  • +358 295 350 384
Alana Saul
Desk Officer
  • +358 295 350 746
Karita Laisi
  • +358 295 535 0033
Suvi Sipilä
Regional Development Cooperation, Middle East and North Africa
  • +358 295 351 758

E-mail addresses are in the form: forename.surname@gov.fi. Scandinavian characters are replaced by: ä=a, ö=o, å=a.