Current affairs
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9.7.2026
New Heads of Mission appointed to Lusaka and Mumbai
At the presidential session on Thursday 9 July, the President of the Republic appointed Marja Rosvall to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Lusaka, and Petra Theman to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Consulate General in Mumbai, starting on 1 September 2026.
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7.7.2026
Majority of seasonal work visa applications for wild-berry pickers refused
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has received approximately 2,200 seasonal work visa applications this year for the purpose of wild-berry picking in Finland. To date, a majority of the applications have been processed, approximately 1,600 applications in total. The processing has revealed indications of a risk of worker exploitation, as well as shortcomings in employers’ compliance with their statutory obligations. The majority of the applications, approximately 1,400, have been refused.
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16.6.2026
New Head of Mission appointed to New Delhi and non-resident Ambassador to Angola, authorisation granted to Tajikistan
At the presidential session on 16 June, the President appointed Mikko Kivikoski as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in New Delhi from 1 July, authorised Roving Ambassador Maria Ågren for Tajikistan, and appointed Satu Lassila, Head of Mission in Maputo, as non-resident Ambassador to Angola from 16 June.
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15.6.2026
Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ policy on Finland’s Indo-Pacific approach: Prioritising stability and cooperation
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has adopted Finland’s first comprehensive Indo-Pacific policy, responding to the region’s growing economic and geopolitical significance.
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12.6.2026
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10.6.2026
Minister for Foreign Affairs Valtonen to meet ministers from Kenya, India and the United Arab Emirates
Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will meet Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh on 10–12 June.
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26.5.2026
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3.5.2026
World Press Freedom Day highlights importance of freedom of expression for democracy and security
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on 3 May. The day reminds us of the importance of free and independent media as the foundation for democracy, the rule of law and an open society. Finland promotes media freedom, which is fundamental to freedom of speech and expression, as part of its foreign and security policy.
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30.4.2026
Temporary Prioritization of Student Applicant Identification 1 June – 17 July 2026 | VFS New Delhi, India
To support timely processing and ensure that students can begin their studies in Finland as scheduled, the identification of student applicants will be prioritized from 1 June to 17 July 2026.
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28.4.2026
Crisis Management NOW – Serving peace 70 years and beyond
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and its partners will organise the Crisis Management NOW event focusing on crisis management and peacebuilding on Tuesday 5 May.