Foreign Ministry's press releases

Finland will support the assistance mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine with EUR 500,000. The aid will be taken from Finland’s appropriations for humanitarian assistance, included in this year’s development co-operation budget.

The assistance given out of appropriations for development cooperation to fragile states suffering or recovering from conflicts will increase in the future.

On Sunday 16 March 2014, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the situation in Ukraine.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will convene in Brussels on 17 March. The main topic of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting is the current situation in Ukraine and the EU’s measures. Other topics to be discussed at the meeting include the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Middle East peace process, the conflict in Syria with its regional repercussions, the forthcoming EU–Africa Summit, and energy diplomacy. Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will represent Finland at the meeting.

Nordic Development Ministers agreed on a closer mutual cooperation in a meeting hosted by Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto, held in Helsinki. The Ministers aim at including the shared Nordic themes as part of the post-2015 global development goals. Ministers also participated in a debate about the future of the UN Millennium Development Goals, in the Hanasaari Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre.

Rapporteur Markku Wallin, who has examined the working conditions of foreign seasonal workers who come to Finland to pick berries in the forests, proposes that contracts of employment be established be-tween pickers and the companies that buy berries and that the work is subject to an employment relation-ship.

Finland is donating 44.4 million euros in humanitarian aid for the world’s worst crises. The aid, granted by decision of Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto on 12 March, is directed to acute emergency situations and to countries where there are protracted crisis situations. Finland’s support is given through UN agencies and Finnish organizations.

On Tuesday 11 March, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the Security Committee's report on Security in Society 2013.

Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto has invited his Nordic colleagues to Helsinki on 13–14 March. The purpose of the meeting is to enhance Nordic cooperation on development policy issues. The participants in the meetings will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson (Iceland), Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation Mogens Jensen (Denmark), and State Secretaries Tanja Rasmusson (Sweden) and Hans Brattskar (Norway).

President Tarja Halonen will attend the inauguration ceremonies of President Michelle Bachelet of Chile in Santiago de Chile and Valparaíso on 10–11 March. President Halonen will represent President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö at the inauguration ceremonies.