Foreign Ministry's press releases

According to the recently published Global Humanitarian Overview, the estimated total need of humanitarian assistance in 2019 amounts to EUR 22 billion.

Development financier Finnfund has succeeded in investing more and more in the world’s poorest countries and most difficult sectors, while also maintaining its commercial viability. The most positive development impacts can be seen in the company’s investments in agriculture and forestry. This information comes from an independent assessment of the company’s activities.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) will meet in Brussels on 10 December. Finland's representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. Ukraine's Minister for Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin will attend an informal lunch during the meeting.

The North Atlantic Council (NAC) will meet at the level of foreign ministers at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 4–5 December 2018. On 5 December, foreign ministers will gather for a meeting on NATO's Resolute Support (RS) mission in Afghanistan together with the partner countries contributing troops to the mission.

The annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) will be held on Monday 3 December. Finland has strengthened the rights of persons with disabilities especially in the humanitarian assistance sector. Progress has been made in recent years at both the political and project levels. The results are presented in the Development Policy Results Report 2018, which was published in November.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen will make a Team Finland visit to India from 29 November to 1 December 2018. Minister Virolainen will be accompanied by a business delegation representing Finnish expertise in the digital, industrial, services and trade sectors.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen will visit Geneva on 27 November.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 26 November 2018. Development ministers will exchange views on the European Commission's initiative for Africa, the multiannual financial framework (MFF), as well as gender equality and violence against women.

The Government discussed arms export matters and decided that in the current situation there are no foundations for new arms export authorisations to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. In its deliberations, the Government laid stress on the alarming humanitarian situation in Yemen, in particular.

Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Thomas Greminger will visit Finland on Friday 23 November and meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.