Foreign Minister Valtonen to attend Nordic-African Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Copenhagen

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will attend the Nordic–African Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (NAFM) in Copenhagen, Denmark on 2 May 2024.

The previous NAFM meeting was held in Algeria in October 2023 and the one before that in Helsinki in June 2022. More than 20 foreign ministers have registered for the meeting. Annual meetings of Nordic and African foreign ministers have been held since 2001. The themes to be discussed range from peace and security to trade and investment and multilateral cooperation. This year’s meeting will focus on issues related to trade and investment. Foreign Minister Valtonen will also have bilateral discussions with African foreign ministers during the NAFM.

“African countries have crucial political and economic importance in the current geopolitical situation. It is important for us to intensify our partnership with African countries at all levels. We are focusing on trade and investments as well on political dialogue,” says Foreign Minister Valtonen.

In addition to the official meeting agenda, Denmark will organise a youth panel, and a Finnish youth delegate will be among the panellists. The first NAFM youth panel was held at the 2022 Helsinki meeting on Finland’s initiative. This is the first time that the countries’ delegations will be accompanied by representatives of the business community. The Finland Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Finnish Industries will be represented in the Finnish delegation.