Foreign Minister Tuomioja to attend foreign minister meeting of Nordic Countries and ten African countries in Oslo

Press release 45/2007
15 March 2007

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will participate in the sixth Foreign Minister meeting between the Nordic Countries and ten African countries to be held in Oslo on 19-20 March. Last time the meeting was held in Cotonou, capital of Benin, in January 2006. The meeting, hosted by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, will discuss three topics: Africa's challenges in maintenance of peace and security, climate change, and the UN reform.

In addition to the Nordic Countries, the meeting will be attended by Benin, Botswana, Republic of South Africa, Ghana, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania. Because of the informal nature of the gathering, the meeting offers the foreign ministers an opportunity for open exchange of ideas on matters they all experience as important. Foreign Minister Tuomioja has attended all similar foreign minister meetings held earlier.

A meeting between the co-chairs of the Helsinki Process, Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Foreign Minister of Tanzania Bernard K. Membe will also be organised in connection with the foreign minister meeting.

Additional information: Folke Sundman, Senior Adviser to the Foreign Minister, tel. +358 (0)9 1605 5016