UNDP Administrator Helen Clark visits Finland

Press release 38/2016
2 March 2016

Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Helen Clark will visit Finland on 3–4 March. During the visit, she will discuss, among other things, supporting fragile states in sustainable development and in recovery from conflicts.

Ms Clark will meet Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka. They will discuss Finland's development policy on the basis of the new Government Report on Development Policy, the partnership between Finland and UNDP, Syria and Iraq, and the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May. Ms Clark will visit the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament and see the leaders of the parliamentary groups of the government parties. Additionally, she will attend an open seminar, organised by the UN Association of Finland and UNDP, and speak about the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals.

UNDP is in a key position when the new sustainable development goals and the 2030 Agenda are implemented. It will focus on the promotion of good governance and the rule of law, the prevention of and recovery from conflicts. UNDP is an UN agency with the most comprehensive network in nearly all UN Member States.

UNDP, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is an important and long-term partner for Finland. Finland prioritises work that promotes democratic governance and the rule of law as well as the prevention of and recovery from crises. About EUR 25 million has been channelled to ongoing projects in, for example, Syria, Central Asia and Myanmar. By way of example, Finland has granted EUR four million to a regional programme of UNEP, which seeks to support national and local communities' capacity in Syria and its neighbouring countries. This year, Finland's so-called core funding is EUR one million and it will be channelled mainly to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Inquiries: Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 295 350 633, Ismo Kolehmainen, Counsellor, tel. +358 295 351 858 and Kirsi Pere, Communications Officer, tel. +358 50 462 6313 (requests for interview).