Current affairs

The Government approved the proposal for the Report on International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation on 11 July 2024. The report complements the Report on Foreign and Security Policy with more detailed trade and development policy measures.

Based on predetermined criteria, the contract was awarded to VF Worldwide Holdings Ltd, which is the current provider of the outsourced application services to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

On 27 June 2024, Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio appointed Elina Björklund (M.Sc., Economics), Chairperson of the Board of Reima Group, to serve as the rapporteur preparing the reform of the Team Finland network of business services abroad to integrate the foreign functions of Business Finland with the Foreign Service.

Finnish civil society organisations (CSOs) and their partners promote the objectives of Finland’s development cooperation with the help of funding granted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Ministry has awarded approximately EUR 19.4 million in government grants for Finnish CSOs’ development cooperation projects in 2025–2028.

Nepal, Finland and the European Union are launching a new bilateral, five-year project in Nepal focused on developing teacher education. The TECSES (Technical Support Cooperation to School Education Sector in Nepal) project is implemented by HY+, a company providing education and development services under the University of Helsinki. The project supports Nepal's education sector program and is funded by Finland and the European Union.

The Government has approved the proposal for the Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy. The report assesses Finland’s foreign and security policy environment and defines Finland’s objectives and priorities for the next few years.

The management structure of the Team Finland network in Finland will be renewed and the foreign activities of Business Finland will be integrated into the Foreign Service. The changes will proceed in stages and the implementation will take place in cooperation with the business community.

How have the Country Programmes guided Finland's development cooperation with partner countries and delivered on intended results? How have they been adapted to evolving country contexts and changing conditions? And what is the value added of Country Programmes when compared to individual interventions?

A total of 15,071 persons visited the Finnish diplomatic and consular missions abroad to vote in advance in the elections to the European Parliament. Altogether 150 crew members voted on board Finnish vessels. In the 2019 European elections, 16,547 persons voted abroad at the Finnish missions and on board vessels.