Foreign Ministry's press releases

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja to visit Myanmar and Cambodia on 16–18 February 2015.

The World Bank Governors’ meeting brought together an eminent group of Nordic and Baltic Ministers in Helsinki on 11 February. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim was also present.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, which spearheads efforts seeking a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the Special Representative of the Chairman in Office will visit Helsinki on 11–12 February 2015.

Working under the remit of the Council of Europe, the European Committee of Social Rights has determined that the minimum level of social security provisions is unacceptable in Finland.

The European Union has appointed Counsellor Pia Stjernvall to the position of Head of Mission of EUPOL Afghanistan (European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan) as from 16 February 2015. Stjernvall has served as Deputy Head of Mission since June 2014.

On Friday, 6 February 2015, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland’s participation in the international security sector training cooperation in Iraq. Finland will continue preparations for participation in training activities in northern Iraq with a contingent of up to 50 soldiers. The Parliament will be consulted through the submission of a report on the matter in accordance with the Act on Military Crisis Management.

Foreign Minister Tuomioja to the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting and to Morocco

On Monday 9 February 2015, Minister Erkki Tuomioja will have served as Minister for Foreign Affairs for a total of 3,940 days. According to ministerial statistics, this means that Tuomioja will overtake long-serving Minister for Foreign Affairs Paavo Väyrynen. Ahti Karjalainen comes third.

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Lenita Toivakka will make a Team Finland export promotion trip to Ankara from 3 to 5 February 2015 at the invitation of Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci of Turkey.

Focus on Finland, the annual publication showcasing Finland for key international markets, has just been published for the thirteenth time. The magazine provides inspirational perspectives on Finnish business, culture, education, and society.