Current affairs

The high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, which marks an annual special event for global cooperation, begins on 20 September. The week provides Finland with an opportunity to strengthen its cooperative relations and to highlight themes that are important for foreign and security policy.

The high-level meetings of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will start in New York on Monday 20 September. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend ministerial events in New York and have bilateral meetings with his counterparts and with representatives of the UN. Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will represent Finland at several high-level meetings held in virtual format during the week.

The Government has appointed Mikko Koivumaa as Director General of Communications at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs starting on 18 October 2021. The term of office will be five years. Koivumaa is currently Director of Communications at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Read the Joint Nordic Statement at the The United Nations Security Council Arria Formula meeting “The threat to international peace and security posed by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons” delivered by Ambassador, Miia Rainne, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN, on 16th of September 2021.

Read the Joint Nordic statement at the informal meeting of the plenary delivered by Jukka Salovaara, Permanent Representative of Finland. New York, 10 September 2021.

Finland will participate in an online Human Rights Pledging Event held by international human rights organisations on Wednesday 8 September. At the event, the countries standing for candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2022–2024 will reply to questions posed by the public, organisations and state representatives.

Read the Joint Nordic Statement delivered by Ambassador, Miia Rainne, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN, Chargé d'affaires, on behalf of the Nordic Countries at the Second Regular Session 2021 of the Executive Board meeting of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, UNFPA Segment, on August 31, 2021.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix expressed gratitude to Finland for its support to United Nations Peacekeeping and for the service and sacrifice of its military and police personnel deployed around the world. Finland provides military and police officers to six UN Peacekeeping missions.

The UN Security Council Resolution 2250 Youth, Peace and Security, adopted in 2015, and the subsequent Resolutions 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) recognise the positive and active role of youth in preventing and resolving conflicts, building peace, and preventing violent extremism. Member States must take the needs and perspectives of youth into consideration and encourage young people to take part in decision-making and all stages of peace processes.

Read the statement by Finland on behalf of the Nordic Countries delivered by H.E. Miia Rainne, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations at the UNSC VTC Open Debate on “Protecting the Protectors: Technology and Peacekeeping”.