Foreign Ministry's press releases

Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov will visit Finland on 18-19 March. He will participate in the official opening of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Helsinki. The embassy launched its operation last autumn.

ETLA Report: Impacts of the Possible EU-USA Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement on Finland’s Business and Industry and the Finnish Society

More than 100 delegates from more than 20 countries met in Helsinki on 13 March to discuss how to make sure that countries around the world will be able to better prevent the fallout of conflicts, wars and disasters from reversing the gains in development, economic growth and provision of services to their people in the future global development agenda.

On Wednesday 13 March, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which will be held in New York on 18–28 March. The Finnish delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Frans Timmermans will visit Finland on 14 March and have official discussions with Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja. The Ministers will discuss international and European issues of current interest, such as Syria, Iran, the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, EU expansion, Russia and the future of diplomacy.

The voice of the EU and its Member States can be heard only if the European message is unified and clear, said Minister Tuomioja in Brussels. He stressed the need for Europe to take note of global changes occurring in this world of increasing interdependence and emerging powers with stronger roles. Europeans must intensify their cooperation to be able to influence the increasingly complex international operating environment.

“During the Arab Spring, Tunisian women visibly upheld demands for freedom and equality. Unfortunately these needs have not vanished,” said Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala on the International Women’s Day when visiting a shelter for women under construction in Tunis. The shelter supported by Finland and the other Nordic countries is the first in Tunis where women can get legal and psychological support as well as seeking safety.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will convene in Brussels on 11 March. The agenda for the meeting includes Russia, Japan, Iraq and the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood. Syria will be the topic of discussion at the Council’s lunch. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala will host an international conference, Conflict, Violence and Disaster in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, on 13 March 2013, to discuss the devastating effects of conflict, violence and disaster as well as new post-2015 development goals. Conference delegates will be high-level representatives from UN Member States, NGOs, the private sector and UN agencies.

By decision of Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala, EUR 9.7 million was granted for development cooperation carried out by higher education institutions in 2013-2015. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs supports collaboration projects between Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) and their partners in developing countries with an aim to enhance higher education capacity in the developing world.