Helsinki group meets in Helsinki
Press release 21/2004
27 January, 2004
The Helsinki Group, a high-level international body guiding the Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy, will have its first meeting on 28-30 January in Helsinki. The meeting will provide the members with an opportunity to express their policy preferences with regard to the global problems and the methods of their resolution. A consolidated agenda for the group’s work will emerge from this dialogue. The Helsinki Group will also meet with Finland’s President Tarja Halonen.
The Helsinki Group seeks to produce pluralistic and innovative proposals for solutions to the key problems of globalisation and its effective, democratic governance. The three Tracks - New Approaches to Global Problem-Solving, Global Economic Agenda and Human Security - will finalise their work by the end of 2004.
The Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy was launched by the Helsinki Conference in 2002 at the initiative of the Finnish Government in cooperation with the Tanzanian Government. The aim of the Helsinki Process is to launch a proactive effort to develop new solutions to the dilemmas of global governance through an open and inclusive dialogue amongst the major stakeholders.
The Group members come from different backgrounds and constituencies - from business community to civil society - and they are committed to finding working solutions to global challenges. The challenges include both tangible economic and political issues and the need to reform international institutions in order to better address these problems. The Helsinki Group is co-chaired by Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Jakaya M. Kikwete, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Tanzania. The Helsinki Group is scheduled to deliver its report during the first half of 2005.
The Helsinki Group session on Thursday, 29 January, at 9.00-10.45, as well as the press conference on Friday, 30 January, at 13.00 can be monitored live at www.helsinkiprocess.fi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window).
Further information: Erja Tikka, Head of Information Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 160 55818, requests for interview: Juha Mustonen, Programme Manager, Crisis Management Initiative, tel. +358 40 583 0945