Finland’s representation abroad requires prioritisation of activities

Press Release 239/2009
16 September, 2009

The study on Finland’s representation abroad carried out by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs examines how the services offered by the missions correspond to the expectations of the authorities, citizens and business life. The study does not make proposals for changes to the network of missions; instead, any changes will be decided case by case. The primary aim of the study is to develop the network in order to ensure efficient handling of the foreign service’s core functions, especially statutory consular services. During this autumn, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will evaluate the tasks of all missions with a view to improving their mutual comparability.

The government’s measures to economise narrow down the latitude of the foreign service. Finland’s network of missions faces ever greater challenges owing to the constant increase in costs combined with the need to reduce staff arising from the government’s productivity programme. These call for increased efficiency of activities and prioritisation.

There are 86 diplomatic missions and 12 consular missions in the sphere of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. About 1,800 people work in these missions; two out of three are hired locally and one out of three is sent from Finland. The costs of the network of missions total about 130 million euros a year, which is roughly two thirds of the entire annual budget of the foreign service. The majority of misions have at most two career diplomats.

It was decided earlier this year to establish a new embassy at Astana, Kazhakstan. In the initial phase the embassy will have two career diplomats sent from Finland. The office premises are situated together with the Norwegian embassy. Both the one-off costs of establishing the diplomatic mission and the annual operating expenses have been estimated at about half a million euros. Corresponding personnel cuts and savings will be achieved elsewhere in the foreign service.

The study on Finland’s network of missions is an element in implementing the Government Programme of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. In accordance with the Government Programme, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs launched a project in March 2008 to investigate Finland’s representation abroad, taking into account the needs of citizens, business life and government. Under-Secretary of State Antti Sierla was the investigator for the study.

Additional information: Under-Secretary of State Antti Sierla, mobile tel. +358 40 575 9297