President and Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discuss HX fighter programme and Finland’s crisis management participation

On Friday 17 April 2020, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed issues relating to international crisis management.

It is important for the international presence in conflict zones to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finland currently has approximately 400 soldiers participating in ten military crisis management operations within the framework of the UN, the EU, NATO and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

The meeting agreed that Finland would continue to participate in the UN UNIFIL operation in Lebanon with approximately 200 soldiers in the French reserve battalion from 1 January 2021 until further notice. A report on the matter will be submitted to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in accordance with the Act on Military Crisis Management.

In addition, the President and the Ministerial Committee stated that Finland is preparing to continue its participation in Iraq both in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS’ Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) and in NATO Mission Iraq (NMI). Finland is also preparing to increase its participation in the EU military training mission in Mali.

The President and the Ministerial Committee stated that Finland would take part in the Very High Readiness element of the NATO Response Force (NRF) in 2022 with a Katanpää-class mine countermeasure vessel. Finland has participated in the NRF's Response Forces Pool, RFPsince 2012, and it is an important part of Finland’s partnership cooperation with NATO.

The President and the Ministerial Committee were presented with the results of the revised bids for the HX fighter project. Finland received revised bids from all five bidders by the deadline set at the end of January, after which the bids were analysed by the defence administration.

Inquiries: Mikko Kinnunen, Director General, tel. +358 295 351 820, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Janne Kuusela, Director General (crisis management), tel. +358 295 140 300, Lauri Puranen, Programme Manager (HX project), +358 295 140 403, Ministry of Defence