Foreign Ministry's press releases

EU development ministers will gather to discuss debt sustainability and debt relief in partner countries on 23 November 2020. Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will represent Finland in the informal video conference.

Finland allocates EUR 3.1 million to Finnish civil society organisations’ projects that are implemented in response to the humanitarian needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has exacerbated ongoing humanitarian crises and forced new regions and population groups to seek emergency relief.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend EU foreign ministers’ informal video conference on Thursday 19 November 2020. The items on the agenda will include multilateral cooperation and an exchange of views with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Al-Malki.

Minister Skinnari will visit Oslo on 17–19 November 2020. Finland and Norway have strong and versatile bilateral relations. Both countries have a common will to further deepen their mutual cooperation. During his visit to Oslo, Minister Skinnari will particularly focus on the commercial and economic relations between the countries and topical regional and international issues.

On 9 November, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will attend an informal video conference of EU trade ministers. The items of the agenda will be the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the EU’s trade relations with the United States and China.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir will visit Finland on 9–10 November.

As final preparations are made for the 2020 Afghanistan Conference on 23-24 November, Special Envoy Janne Taalas visited Doha to provide briefings on the upcoming pledging event.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 130th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 4 November 2020 will be held in virtual format. Finland’s representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. The main topics on the meeting agenda will be the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

Today, the Government adopted the Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy and submitted it to Parliament. The Report assesses Finland's foreign and security policy operating environment and defines the goals and priorities of Finnish foreign and security policy. By implementing these goals the Government strengthens Finland's security and prosperity.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä and Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will make a virtual Team Finland visit to Germany on 29 October 2020. The aim is to strengthen relations between Finnish and German companies, particularly within the battery industry, the bioeconomy and circular economy, and the digitalisation of health services.