Press releases of Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has issued a Decree on the Amendment of Fees for Services Produced by the Foreign Service for 2020–2022. The amendment will enter into force on 1 January 2022 and will remain in force until 31 December 2022.

Programme-based support for Finnish civil society organisations (CSOs) is allocated for the implementation of Finland’s development policy objectives to eradicate extreme poverty, reduce inequality and promote human rights. The work is carried out in close cooperation with developing countries’ own CSOs. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted approximately EUR 276 million for Finnish CSO’s multiannual development cooperation in 2022–2025.

The United Nations has designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The day begins an annual international campaign called 16 Days of Activism, which draws attention to this important human rights violation. During the day, well-known buildings around the world will be illuminated in orange – the colour chosen to symbolise the day. This year, the Government will observe the day by illuminating the Merikasarmi building of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

In its session on 25 November 2021, the Government appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Jukka Salovaara to serve as Permanent State Secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs starting on 1 May 2022.

The social security agreement between Finland and Japan will enter into force on 1 February 2022. Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and Takashi Murata, Japan’s Ambassador to Finland, exchanged notes on 25 November to bring the bilateral agreement into force. When the agreement enters into force, workers posted to a Contracting State will avoid double pension and unemployment insurance contributions.

On 25 November, Minister for Nordic Cooperation Thomas Blomqvist will attend a conference in Torshavn on the Faeroe Islands. The conference will discuss the experiences gained from crisis management in the Nordic countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and future Nordic cooperation in crisis preparedness. This is one of the key priorities for Finland’s Presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Oslo on 22–23 November. Minister Skinnari will meet ministers of Norway’s new Government and visit a waste treatment plant that makes use of carbon capture technologies. The Minister will also attend a seminar organised by the Finnish and Norwegian Shipowners Associations and the Embassy of Finland in Oslo.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will represent Finland at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting of EU development ministers on 19 November in Brussels.

Minister for Nordic Cooperation Thomas Blomqvist will speak in a forum on the state and future of cross-border regional cooperation (Gränsregionalt Forum) in Oulu on 18 November. He will also meet local actors, including representatives of the Bothnian Arc collaboration and the City of Oulu, BusinessOulu and the University of Oulu.

Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, will visit Finland on 17–19 November. This is the Governor’s first visit abroad since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will present the priorities of Finland’s Presidency in connection with the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit conference on 16 November. In Rovaniemi, the Minister will also meet representatives of the Sámi Parliament and speak at the University of Lapland.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will discuss citizens’ opportunities to exert influence in the EU at Lahti main library on 16 November. The aim is to hear people’s thoughts and wishes about the future of Europe. The event is part of Finnish Ministers’ “We are Europe” tour.

EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 15 November. The main topics on the meeting agenda will be the Sahel, the Western Balkans and the Strategic Compass for security and defence cooperation in the EU. Topical issues on the agenda will include Belarus, the geopolitical dimensions of energy prices, Ethiopia, Sudan and the outcome of the COP26 summit. The meeting of foreign ministers on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) will discuss the future priorities of the cooperation and prepare for the Eastern Partnership summit, on 15 December.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Haavisto will meet Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See Paul Gallagher in Helsinki on 12 November.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the EU Arctic Forum in Brussels on 10 November.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Brazil from 8 to 12 November 2021. The Minister will have bilateral meetings with, among others, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos França, and Minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic Augusto Heleno, with whom bilateral discussions have already taken place virtually in December 2020. Minister Skinnari will also meet with representatives of Brazilian industry and will be accompanied by about ten Team Finland representatives aiming to promote Finnish export and internationalisation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will discuss the EU’s global role in the Think Corner in Helsinki on 9 November. The aim is to hear people’s thoughts and wishes about the future of Europe. The event is part of Finnish ministers’ “We are Europe” tour.

Finland and Belgium will co-chair the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) initiative for the next two years. As co-chair, Finland will have a stronger role in improving good humanitarian donorship practices at a time when the need for humanitarian assistance is higher than ever.

The Government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin has made a good start in implementing the development policy entries in the Government Programme. However, there continues to be room for improvement. At present, the main focus should be on preparing a clear roadmap, extending beyond the current government term, in order to raise development finance to the UN’s recommendation of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI). The recommendation should be achieved by 2030.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Haavisto will meet the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs in Helsinki on 9 November.