Finnish Ambassador in United Arab Emirates and Bahrain
Finnish Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Bahrain is Tuula Yrjölä.
Finland and the UAE – looking ahead to the next 50 years and beyond
In 2025, the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and the United Arab Emirates was reflected throughout the Embassy’s activities: The visit of H.E. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and the accompanying business delegation in January, and the official visit of H.E. President of the Republic of Finland Dr. Alexander Stubb, together with a business delegation in November, were among the highlight of the year. Equally significant was the visit to Helsinki in March 2025 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. For more information on last year’s activities, please click here.
In 2026, we will continue to highlight the next 50 years of cooperation, addressing shared challenges and seizing new opportunities under the themes of comprehensive security, sustainability, artificial intelligence and digitalization. As the UAE co-hosts, together with Senegal, the UN Water Conference in December, Finnish water know-how will receive our special attention showcasing Finnish solutions in water. In Bahrain, I look forward to continuing to explore opportunities for Finnish businesses, and to develop relations between our countries in mutually interesting sectors, whether in business, culture, or people-to-people exchanges.
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, as well as to explore future opportunities in Bahrain. Even without a permanent presence in Manama, we remain committed to strengthening our cooperation with Bahrain in the coming years.
Tuula Yrjölä
Ambassador
Abu Dhabi, 27 January 2026
Curriculum Vitae: Tuula Yrjölä
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