Foreign Minister Soini visits Afghanistan

Press release 201/2016
26/10/2016

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini visited Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan on 24–26 October 2016. The purpose of the visit was to learn about the effectiveness of civil and military crisis management operations and meet Finnish actors and Afghan political leaders.

On the agenda were also meetings with leaders of the NATO Resolute Support Mission (RSM) and EUPOL and learning about the activities of the Embassy of Finland in the highly demanding operating environment.

Finland's support to Afghanistan has been significant. At the moment the numbers of Finnish actors are the largest Mazar-e-Sharif in the north. Finland intends to continue to support the country.

Foreign Minister Soini thanked the Finnish military and civil crisis management staff and all the about 2 000 Finnish crisis management veterans who have served in Afghanistan.

“The presence of Finnish troops in the country is important. Even if the situation has improved and the Afghan Security Forces bear a great deal of responsibility for the country's security, international support is still needed. Finland is committed to the principle ‘in together – out together’. As yet, this is not the time to leave", says Foreign Minister Soini.

Afghanistan is also supported through development cooperation. Key issues for Finland include improving the position of women and girls and development of civil police operations.

“Finland has been among the top countries in the EU police operations, led by Pia Stjernvall, EUPOL Head of Mission from Finland. The mission has been successful and it is now coming to its end. EU support to the Afghan police will be important in the future as well”, says Minister Soini.

At the meeting with the political leaders Foreign Minister Soini talked about the implementation of the joint declaration concerning the return of asylum seekers signed in the beginning of October, security situation, eradicating corruption and improving the position of women and girls.

Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister, tel. +358 46 923 4581, and Anne Meskanen, Finnish Ambassador in Kabul, tel. +93 79 5597 152

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are in the format [email protected].