Foreign Ministry's press releases

The Social Impact Investing Initiative is an innovative way of channelling finance towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Finland is planning to provide about EUR 20 million in support for the Initiative.

Safety considerations have become a significant constraint on humanitarian action and relief in recent years. The Red Cross and UN emblems are no longer respected in conflicts. This hampers the work of humanitarian organisations and the distribution of humanitarian aid.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will participate in an international conference dealing with the situation in Venezuela on 6 August in Lima, Peru. The meeting will be attended by foreign ministers from around the world, particularly from the Latin American countries, the Caribbean and North America. During his visit, Haavisto will also meet for bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of several Latin American countries.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will visit Riga on Tuesday 30 July. Haavisto will meet Egils Levits, Latvia’s newly elected president, and hold discussions with Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs.

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will make a presentation before the Development Committee (DEVE) of European Parliament in Brussels on 24 July 2019. The Minister will present Finland’s priorities in the field of humanitarian aid during the country’s Presidency of the EU Council and exchange views on EU development policy with the EP committee within his remit.

The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) of the European Union will meet on Monday 15 July in Brussels. Finland will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. The FAC will discuss the situation in Iraq, Iran and the Central African Republic. The external dimension of migration will also be on the agenda. There will also be an informal lunch with the new Moldovan Foreign Minister.

Johanna Sumuvuori, State Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is leading the Finnish delegation to a high-level conference for media freedom held in London on 10–11 July. The conference was convened by Jeremy Hunt, the UK Foreign Secretary.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto will visit Sudan and several countries of the Red Sea and broader region over the course of the next weeks to discuss the situation in Sudan. He has received a mandate from High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini to reach out, on behalf of the European Union, on both the situation in the country and on how the international community can accompany Sudan on its transition path.

Like before, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will be present at SuomiAreena, the most important open-air forum for public discussion organised every summer in Pori. This year, SuomiAreena will be held from 15 to 19 July 2019.