Minister Väyrynen to visit Nepal and India
Press release 35/2009
2 February, 2009
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.
During his visit, Väyrynen is scheduled to meet Nepal’s Prime Minister Dahal and, for instance, the ministers of finance, foreign affairs, commerce, forestry and the environment. He will also visit the national Parliament and have talks with the speaker of Parliament. During the meeting with the minister of finance, the investment protection agreement between Finland and Nepal will be signed. On his journey, the Minister will be accompanied by representatives of Finnish companies and institutions.
Nepal is one of Finland’s eight long-term partner countries. The bilateral development cooperation with the country was launched in 1983.
The Minister will continue his journey from Nepal to India, where he will participate in the Sustainable Development Summit, to be organised in Delhi. Väyrynen will participate in discussions concerning, for instance, new opportunities for cooperation to curb the climate change and ways to improve the access to energy in developing countries. Energy plays a key role in reducing poverty, and the promotion of local renewable energy sources in particular is of great importance in developing countries. The organ responsible for the organisation of the Sustainable Development Summit is the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) with Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, acting as its Director-General.
During his visit, Minister will also meet Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Nath.
During his visit to India, the Minister will be part of the President of the Republic’s delegation.
Further information: Advisor to the Minister Päivi Nevala, tel. +358 040 753 4375, and Deputy Director General Pekka Puustinen, Department for the Americas and Asia, tel. +358 40 481 9892