Looking Back at 2025: A Message from the Ambassador
As we’ve turned a new leaf in the calendar, let’s take a look back at 2025.
The 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Finland and the United Arab Emirates marked many of our activities: in January, H.E. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo brought a business delegation of 24 companies to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, attending the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in addition to a full program of high-level meetings.
Petteri Orpo and the business delegation in the UAE, January 2025.
At the World Governments Summit in February, during the visit of H.E. Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government, the suomi.fi application was awarded “World’s Best Government Service” prize, demonstrating the deepening cooperation between Finland and the UAE in sharing best practices, in this case in the digitalization of government services.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, January 2025.
In March of 2025 Finland had the honor to receive Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan for an official visit.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, and Elina Valtonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, March 2025.
In May, Finland’s Ambassador of Digitalization and Technology H.E. Stefan Lindström, visited the UAE to meet and engage with UAE counterparts. He was accompanied by five Finnish companies showcasing cutting-edge digital solutions. At the Ambassador’s residence, a Tech Majlis discussed the challenges and opportunities of the fast moving landscape of digitalization and A.I.
As the year moved on, the pace of activities intensified. On November 20-21, H.E. President of the Republic of Finland Dr. Alexander Stubb paid an official visit to the UAE, accompanied by a business delegation of 17 Finnish companies.
H.E. Dr. Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, December 2025.
The Finnish Embassy organized a reception in honor of the President's visit. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Her Excellency Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State, attended the reception.
With kind support from the Ministry of Foreign Trade of the UAE, the Finnish business representatives attended a “Comprehensive Security Majlis”, dedicated to the exchange of opinions between Finnish and UAE entities on how threats from human actors, technological development and natural causes affect society in general and different industries in particular. Participants discussed how to prepare for and mitigate such threats building on the examples of the UAE and Finland. Our gratitude goes to H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, for enabling this excellent event, whereby the Finnish participants also learned about the culturally important Emirati concept of the “majlis” as a venue for discussion and networking.
In December, a trade mission comprising 11 Finnish companies visited the UAE, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence across diverse sectors. And as a cherry, or rather a few cherries, on top of the cake during this visit, December 9th the Embassy organised the “A.I. Majlis” dedicated to the exchange of opinions under the theme of how to combine A.I. and H.I. - Human Intelligence - and the next 50 years of friendship between UAE and Finland.
Breaking away from the ordinary business setting, the event embraced the art of storytelling — so deeply rooted in human nature, drawing inspiration and symbolism from Finland’s national epic, Kalevala. Kalevala’s grand old man, the creator of the universe Väinämöinen appeared in virtual form, thanks to Nokia’s playful creativity, and responded to our queries about the meaning of life, the difference between A.I. and H.I., and any other questions that the participants wished to ask. Magician Henri Kemppainen played tricks on our human intelligence before we launched into the questions of A.I., inspired by the opening remarks from Chief of Government Services H.E. Mohamed BinTaliah and representatives from the tele- and tech giant e&, among other distinguished participants.
The Majlis, surrounded by the wisdom of the tall cases of books at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai, and moderated by the fabulous Dr. Zina Cinker, globally renowned Exponential Technology strategist and Director General of MATTER Group, was followed by a Gala Concert commemorating the 50th Anniversary Year. We are grateful to Dubai Culture and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library for allowing us the use of this innovative and elegant venue.
The strings of the Lohja City Orchestra, together with cellist Jussi Makkonen and pianist Nazig Azezian, joined in a gorgeous cultural collaboration with the fabulous Emirati soprano Fatima Al Hashemi and Emirati musicians, in a program of Finnish and Emirati music.
Gala concert in Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Dubai, December 2025.
To carry over the A.I. theme to the end, prominent neuroscientist, A.I. entrepreneur, and professor at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Dr. Olivier Ouillier arranged for the grand finale: As soprano Fatima Al Hashemi, together with Jussi Makkonen on cello and Nazig Azezian on piano, performed two Finnish songs and Finland’s national composer Jean Sibelius’ magnificent Finlandia hymn, their brainwaves were transmitted though sensors to the screen in the background, turning their emotions and movements into A.I. art.
Dr. Olivier Ouillier, December 2025.
And if that were not enough, the evening was crowned by a reception by Dubai Creek in the elegant garden of the MBR Library, catered by renowned Finnish Chef Kristian Karnell’s Nordic Hospitality & Experience, newly established in the UAE.
Chef Kristian Karnell’s Nordic Hospitality & Experience's delight.
So much more could be highlighted from the past 12 months, but these are the key moments. Looking ahead, year 2026 will follow up on the themes that define our partnership: the next 50 years of cooperation jointly addressing challenges and seizing opportunities under the broad umbrellas of comprehensive security, sustainability, A.I. and digitalization. The political relations between our countries remain excellent, as are the trade and economic ties. On the latter, the sky’s the limit, as they say, and the Embassy stands ready to support this development in every possible way. With the integration of the Finland’s Foreign Service and Business Finland’s global networks as of 1 January 2026, we are now even better positioned to bring together Finnish and Emirati counterparts and strengthen our cooperation in the years to come.
Tuula Yrjölä, Ambassador of Finland to the United Arab Emirates
20th January 2026
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