Foreign Ministry's press releases

The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank Walter Steinmeier will arrive in Finland on Thursday morning 16 April on Minister Tuomioja's invitation.

Secretary of State Peter Stenlund represents Finland at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), held in Barcelona on Monday, 13 April. At the meeting, the Southern ENP partner countries will present their views and hopes concerning the review of the neighbourhood policy.

The President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the situation in Ukraine at their meeting on 9 April 2015.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Keit Pentus-Rosimannus visits Finland on 10 April and meets with Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja. The new Government of Estonia took office on 9 April. Pentus-Rosimannus (Reform Party) was Minister of Foreign Affairs also in the previous Government.

Secretary of State Peter Stenlund will deputise Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja in the Africa-Nordic Meeting of Foreign Ministers in South Africa from 9 to 10 April 2015. During the two days, the ministers will discuss topical issues related to Africa and the Nordic countries. The themes of the meeting include African integration and inclusive economic growth. There will be an opportunity for more informal discussion on current international issues over dinner.

Finland used a total of EUR 1.23 billion to development cooperation in 2014. This represented 0.6 per cent of Finland's gross national income (GNI). The figure also covers expenses arising from the reception of refugees, Finland's share of the EU budget, and other expenditure in different administrative areas collated in statistics under development cooperation.

Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Bangura is visiting Finland on 1–3 April. During her visit, Special Representative Bangura will meet with, among others, Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for International Development Sirpa Paatero and former President Martti Ahtisaari.

Finland will contribute EUR 15 million to help the victims of the Syrian crisis. Under-Secretary of State Anne Sipiläinen informed about Finland's support in the Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in Kuwait City on 31 March. High-level representatives from the donor countries and the neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees participated in the Conference.

The Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja will travel to Washington on Sunday 29 March. On Monday 30 March Minister Tuomioja will attend a seminar on Innovative Global Governance Processes for Mobilizing Political Will, organized jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Representatives of the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) will visit Finland to learn about open government and decision-making in the framework of the new development cooperation project.