New Envoys to Mozambique, Japan and Argentina

At the presidential session on Friday 22 April, the President of the Republic decided to appoint the following new Heads of Mission to Mozambique, Japan and Argentina. They will assume their functions on 1 September 2016.

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Laura Torvinen was appointed to serve as Head of the Embassy of Finland in Maputo, Mozambique.

Torvinen is currently Director of the Unit for Development Financing Institutions.  At the Ministry, she has served, among other things, as Adviser in the Department for Development Policy and in the Unit for UN and General Global Affairs.

She has gained experience of the Diplomatic Service in, for example, the Embassy of Finland in Maputo and Finland's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.

Torvinen has also served at the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique, Finn Church Aid,  and the Service Centre for Development Cooperation (KEPA). She joined the Ministry in 1991.

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Jukka Siukosaari was appointed to serve as Head of the Mission of Finland in Tokyo, Japan. Siukosaari will transfer to Japan from Buenos Aires where he has served as Head of Mission since 2012.

At the Ministry, Siukosaari has served, for example, as Head of Unit in the Department for Europe and the Department for Global Affairs.

In addition to Buenos Aires, he has experience of the Diplomatic Service from London, Pretoria, Rome and Dublin. He has also worked as Adviser for International Affairs at the Finnish Medical Association.

Siukosaari joined the Ministry in 1995.

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Teemu Turunen was appointed to serve as Head of the Finnish Mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Turunen will transfer to Buenos Aires from the position of Director of the Unit for Consular Assistance.

He has previously served, among other things, as Crisis and Assistance Team Leader and at the Unit for General EU Law.

In the Diplomatic Service, he has worked in Beijing, Madrid, Damascus and Caracas. Turunen joined the Ministry in 2001.

In addition, the President of the Republic decided to accredit Ambassador Petri Puhakka, Head of the Embassy of Finland in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as from 1 May 2016, to represent Finland also in Brunei.

Inquiries: Vesa Lehtonen, Deputy Director General for Personnel, tel. +358 295 351 439.