Foreign Ministry's press releases

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala will travel to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and Jordan on 24-27 June. The purpose of the visit is to survey the Finnish development cooperation efforts in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Finnish humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan, and to meet representatives of the governments of Israel, the Palestinian National Authority and Jordan.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will convene in Luxembourg on 24 June. Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will represent Finland at the meeting. The topics to be discussed are climate change, the EU’s Eastern Partnership and Southern Neighbourhood, the Middle East peace process, the Western Balkans and Afghanistan.

The Team Finland project aims to improve the effectiveness of Finland's external economic relations, enhance internationalisation services, encourage foreign investment and promote the country image by bringing together all related key actors and services. On Wednesday 13 June, the Government adopted the first Team Finland strategy, which establishes a set of annually reviewed overarching priorities for the TF activities.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will meet in Helsinki on 14 June. The ministers will discuss bilateral relations between Finland and South Africa and issues pertaining to peace and security in Africa. As to global issues, the ministers will exchange views for instance on mediation and the Arms Trade Treaty.

On Wednesday 12 June, the government evening session discussed a working group proposal for Finland's reviewed strategy for the Arctic region. The

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb will participate in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Friday 14 June, held at the trade minister level.

Eighty per cent of Finns take a positive view of development cooperation according to a survey carried out by Taloustutkimus Oy. Thirty-one per cent of the population now considers development cooperation very important. The corresponding figure a year ago was 28 per cent. Similarly, the share considering development cooperation to be of minor importance or taking an indifferent view has fallen.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will host the Nordic–African Foreign Ministers Meeting in Hämeenlinna on 15 and 16 June. The ministers will discuss topical African and Nordic issues during their two-day meeting at Aulanko in Hämeenlinna.

Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur is visiting Finland on 10–12 June. Minister Kaur will discuss topical bilateral and international issues with Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.