Foreign Ministry's press releases

The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union will meet in Brussels on 21 February. The main items on the meeting agenda are the current situation in the EU’s southern neighbourhood and the EU’s support to the region. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will represent Finland at the meeting.

Last Friday, STX Finland Oy and the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources signed a contract for the construction of a fisheries research vessel. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is supporting the project’s realization by granting about 19 million euros in interest subsidy. According to Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, protection of the Namibian marine ecosystem as well as sustainable use and monitoring are important to Namibia and globally.

“I have just been informed of the death of a Finnish peacekeeper while on duty in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan. I wish to express my deepest condolences to his family and friends. This unfortunate news is a shock to all of us.”

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will make a visit to Angola on 16–17 February. This will be the first ministerial visit from Finland to Angola. The destination is the capital city, Luanda. The minister will be accompanied by a 20-person business delegation widely representing Finnish expertise. The delegation includes representatives of companies, for example, in the mechanical engineering, natural resources, logistics and health sectors.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb’s statement on the situation in Egypt

On Thursday 10 February, the Government decided to propose to the President of the Republic seven new appointments. The President of the Republic will appoint the Ambassadors in the presidential session on Friday 11 February.

Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Paet will pay a working visit to Finland on 11 February at the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb.

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin of Nigeria, the new Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will visit Finland on 10–12 February at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen. This is Dr. Osotimehin’s first visit to Finland. He assumed his position as Executive Director of UNFPA in January 2011.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will make a visit to Vyborg, St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk on 8–10 February. During his visit, Foreign Minister Stubb will meet widely with local decision-makers and authorities and with Finns active in the region. Stubb will inaugurate the Finnish Visa Application Centre in St. Petersburg and will deliver speeches at a seminar on Arctic issues and to university students in St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk.

The Finnish Embassy in Cairo has moved to work in different premises for the weekend. The replacement premises are located in a hotel closer to the airport than the diplomatic mission, thus providing better opportunity to help Finns trying to leave Cairo. The aim is to be available 24 hours a day as necessary.