Minister Väyrynen to visit Ethiopia and Kenya

Press release 428/2008
14 November 2008

Paavo Väyrynen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, will travel to Ethiopia and Kenya on 17–21 November. Topics of discussion during the visit include Finland’s development cooperation, familiarization with the development policy programmes of Ethiopia and Kenya, and Finland’s possibilities to supplement and support each country’s actions aiming at poverty reduction and sustainable development. Also on the agenda for discussion are trade and commercial issues as well as regional and international affairs.

Minister Väyrynen will meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and, in addition, with the ministers responsible for finance and economic development, foreign affairs, education, trade and industry and water resources. He will also have talks with Jean Ping, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union. Väyrynen will also visit development cooperation projects supported by Finland in the Eastern Nile region.

In Kenya, Väyrynen will meet with Prime Minister Raila Odinga and also with, among others, the ministers responsible for trade, justice, energy, development cooperation and forestry. Väyrynen will also visit a pharmaceutical plant receiving Finnish support and will become acquainted with dairy and forest projects in the Meru region.

Representatives of Finnish business will also take part in the minister’s visit.

Additional information: Päivi Nevala, Adviser to the Minister, mobile tel. + 358 40 753 4375, and Helena Airaksinen, Head of the Unit for Eastern and Western Africa, mobile tel. +358 40 829 3412