Finland launches a new Helsinki Process
The Finnish government made a firm commitment to promote a Helsinki Process on Globalisation when concluding the international Helsinki conference sponsored by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland on Wednesday with a gathering of about 150 invited globalisation experts representing governments, international institutions and non-governmental organisations.
Finland, as the chairing country of the Helsinki Conference, undertook the task of establishing a tri-dimensional follow-up system. The core of the process will be an Eminent Persons group of approximately ten members to act as a think tank based on equal representation of the northern and southern states, international organisations and businesses as well as the NGO field. The group will conduct multi-valued dialogue between all stakeholders and pinpoint key issues on which concrete initiatives will be made.
The Eminent Persons group will be assisted by separate thematic networks or task forces focusing each on a specific issue of globalisation. Five themes have been mooted: global economy with particular attention on measures to reduce social instability, equitable development and adoption of new information technologies in developing countries, transnational business and global development, promotion of human security particularly in crisis situations and the ethics of globalisation and global governance. The objective of the task forces is to exchange ideas and conduct regular discussions by meetings as well as via Internet networks.
The third dimension involves promotion of research projects on global governance supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
While making a commitment to the promotion of the Helsinki Process, the Finnish government emphasised the fact that this is not a Finnish exercise but the objective is to include as many nations as possible. The basis of the process already exists in the UN Millennium Declaration which was signed by all heads of state in September, 2000. The declaration sets clearly defined targets for the promotion of development and eradication of poverty. Representatives of developing nations and NGOs, in particular, at the Helsinki Conference were keen on emphasising the importance of development based on good governance and democracy.
The Helsinki Conference provided the Finnish government with a candid and multi-dimensional agenda to begin the endeavour of building global governance. During the preparatory process as well as during the conference sessions it was repeatedly emphasised that delegates should not be bound by often rigid policy outlines of their governments or organisations. On the contrary, they were encouraged to ask “politically incorrect” questions. The idea was to provide a platform for innovative dialogue for which there is often no room in political context.
The Helsinki Process will be followed up in another conference in two years’ time.
Further information: Under Secretary of State Pertti Majanen, tel: +358 9 1605 6400, and Ambassador Ilari Rantakari, tel: +358 40 709 42 45.