Changes in Finland’s network of diplomatic missions

Press release 3/2013
11 January 2013

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is continuing its review of Finland’s network of diplomatic missions in 2013. The changes are driven by the operational budget cuts and the Government programme’s effort to strengthen Finland’s presence in the regions and countries whose importance is growing.

The Embassy of Finland in Managua, Nicaragua will be closed by the end of 2013. Closing of the embassy in Managua is the result of changes in the priorities of programme cooperation in Finland’s development cooperation. The embassy in Mexico will be strengthened, emphasising the diplomatic mission’s regional responsibility.

In South America, the increased economic importance of Colombia is being taken into account. A one-person liaison office will be established in Bogota, the capital of Colombia. The office will work under the embassy located in Lima, the capital of Peru. The embassy in Lima is responsible for service to citizens throughout the Andean region.

In Europe, the operational profile of the embassy in Bratislava will be realigned. In the future, the embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia, will operate as a diplomatic mission under the leadership of Chargé d'Affaires. Services to citizens will be transferred to the embassy in Vienna for handling.

The Consulate General in Hamburg will be closed on 31 August, 2013. Once the Consulate General has been closed, passport services will be provided by the service point of the Honorary Consulate.

Embassy staff resources in Abu Dhabi, Algiers, and Seoul will be strengthened.

Mutual cooperation between Finnish actors abroad, operating under the various ministries, will be enhanced. Team Finland networks chaired by the Heads of Mission under the Ministry for Foreign Affairs have been assembled in all host states. The networks have prepared their joint action plans for 2013, which have been formulated together by the embassies and Finpro and Tekes, which are under the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, as well as Finnish scientific and cultural institutes abroad.

Additional information: Under-Secretary of State Peter Stenlund, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5020, and Sandra Hatzidakis, Adviser to the Under-Secretary of State, tel. +358 9 1605 6039, Deputy Director General for the Department for the Americas and Asia Pekka Puustinen, tel. +358 9 1605 5694