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.
Countries
- Bahrain(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Iran(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Iraq(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Israel(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Jordan(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Kuwait(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Lebanon(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Oman(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Palestinian territory(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Qatar(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Saudi Arabia(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Syria(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- United Arab Emirates(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window),
- Yemen(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
- 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

Persian Gulf Team
Saila Barke
Counsellor
Team Leader
Persian Gulf
Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
- +358 295 350 226

Simo Ristolainen
Desk Officer
Irak, Qatar, Jemen, Oman, Kuwait
- +358 295 350 207
Vivi Tarkka
Trainee
- +358 295 350 438
Middle East Peace Process (MEPP) Team
Sami Wacklin
Team Leader
- +358 295 350 741
Mika Ruotsalainen
Desk Officer
Syria
- +358 295 350 384
Vera Jegorenkov
Desk Officer
- +358 295 350 064
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.