Current affairs

Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Mr. Timo Soini

The plight of Myanmar's Rohingya minority has heightened and made headlines due the boat-people trying to get into neighbouring countries. Finland's diplomatic missions in Yangon and Bangkok are monitoring the situation and participating in international measures to alleviate the crisis.

The tsunami that hit South-East Asia ten years ago is one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. The catastrophe exceeded the preparedness of the authorities in each of the affected countries and had a revolutionary impact on the Foreign Ministry’s operational capabilities.

The tsunami that hit South-East Asia ten years ago is one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. The catastrophe exceeded the preparedness of the authorities in each of the affected countries and had a revolutionary impact on the Foreign Ministry’s operational capabilities.

The tsunami that hit South-East Asia ten years ago is one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. The catastrophe exceeded the preparedness of the authorities in each of the affected countries and had a revolutionary impact on the Foreign Ministry’s operational capabilities.

The Embassy of Finland in Bangkok, together with other EU countries, followed the current case of Andy Hall from the beginning and was on site when the judgment was delivered. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will publish guidelines for supporting the work of human rights defenders in November.

Rapporteur Markku Wallin, who has examined the working conditions of foreign seasonal workers who come to Finland to pick berries in the forests, proposes that contracts of employment be established be-tween pickers and the companies that buy berries and that the work is subject to an employment relation-ship.

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are commissioning a report on foreign forest berry pickers. The rapporteur is to be Markku Wallin, Director General at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs annual rotation of Heads of Mission has been completed. Most of the 24 new Heads of Mission took up their positions on 1 September.