Current affairs

Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma of India and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen signed a new agreement to promote economic cooperation between the two countries on 26 March. The agreement spurs, for instance, the exchange of information on statutes influencing the economy and trade. Both countries will appoint representatives to a joint commission that will meet at least every second year.

The Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Anand Sharma will visit Finland on 25–26 March on invitation of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen. The Ministers will discuss topical issues in international economy and enhancing of the Finnish-Indian trade relations.

Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland present Study in Finland web EXPO at the www.expoinweb.net site. Web EXPO includes an introduction of all the foreign language degree programmes in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences.

The Ministry for Foreigh Affairs has invited 19 recently graduated journalists or journalism students about to graduate to The Foreign Correspondents' Programme (FCP), a media and training programme organised by the Ministry.

In its session on Thursday 26 March, the Government decided to propose to the President of the Republic the appointment of the following Ambassadors.

When meeting with India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry in Delhi on 6 February, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen emphasised the importance of finding as quick WTO solution as possible.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit Nepal on 3-5 February. During the visit, the topics of discussion will include Finland’s development cooperation as well as Nepal’s political situation and development plans. The bilateral trade and economic relations and regional and international questions will also be discussed.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb absolutely condemns the terrorist attacks that took place in Mumbai, India, on 26 November.

The three-day Sustainable Development Research Conference was organized by the Management Development Institute (MDI) India in collaboration with Abo Akademi University (ÅA), Finland and University of Hong Kong (HKU) 21.-23.9.2008 at India Habitat Center New Delhi.

From the very beginning, the Sitra Fellowshisp programme aroused a lot of interest in inviting Indian researchers to Finland, which shows that researchers have many contacts across national boundaries. Mobility, too, is now increasing.