Foreign Ministry's press releases

The UN Human Rights Council convenes for its 53rd Regular Session from 19 June to 14 July in Geneva, Switzerland.

The fourth meeting of the Permanent Joint Mechanism between Finland, Sweden and Türkiye took place in Ankara on 14 June. It was held between senior officials from Finland, Sweden, Türkiye and the NATO Secretariat.

A recent survey shows that 85 per cent of Finns believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine increases the need for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. However, attitudes towards development cooperation are dividing Finns.

Finland is supporting UN sustainable development goals by channelling aid to demonstrably effective UN agencies. This support for UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women and UNDP promotes Finland’s foreign policy goals and values, such as enhancing the rights and equality of women and girls, and people with disabilities.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the Nordic foreign ministers’ meeting, N5, in Iceland from 12 to 13 June.

The Government plenary session issued a decree on the Agreement on the Status of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, National Representatives and International Staff, also known as the Ottawa Agreement on 8 June.

The OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) will take place from 7 to 8 June 2023 in Paris. The theme of this year’s meeting is securing a resilient future. The ministers will also discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine.

On 2 June, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child issued recommendations to Finland based on Finland's combined fifth and sixth periodic reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed a Joint Statement on Cooperation in Advanced Wireless Communications between Finland and the United States in Helsinki on 2 June. In the Joint Statement, Finland and the United States confirm their common ambition to cooperate in key areas of 6G research and development and to increase interaction between Finnish and US actors.

An informal meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held in Oslo from 31 May to 1 June. This will be the second meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs which Finland attends as a member of the Alliance.