Alahuhta to lead preparation of the action plan on economic external affairs
“We must begin adapting a new approach to advancing Finland’s economic interests, as the economic focus is shifting to developing markets and Western countries are struggling in the midst of the debt crisis,” Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb said today at the Annual Meeting of Finnish Heads of Mission in Helsinki.
Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen has asked Minister Stubb to launch preparation of the action plan for economic external relations mentioned in the Government Programme, which defines the objectives and strategy for Finland’s economic external relations and seeks practical tools for supporting Finnish enterprises. “The success of Finnish companies abroad is the business of all of Finland and all of the Government,” Stubb emphasised.
A working group led by Matti Alahuhta, President and CEO of KONE Corporation, will begin work to draw up the action plan.
In commenting on the group’s tasks, CEO Alahuhta said: “We are moving ahead to the next stage of globalisation. The new global distribution of tasks occurring at the same time is shifting the economic focus increasingly to Asia and other emerging economies. In this development, the interests of enterprises and States are the same to an increasing extent. Finland is an export-driven country, and the more competitive Finland is, and the better Finnish enterprises succeed on international markets, the better the situation will also be for our country and its well-being. Economic external relations are an important target of development associated with this trend. It is excellent that the Government has seen it necessary to create a strategy for this sector that fits the present trend. We will assemble a workable team and begin our efforts.”
Alongside representatives of enterprises, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, among others, will also participate in the working group. Ministers Jyri Häkämies and Alexander Stubb said they were very glad that CEO Matti Alahuhta accepted this task: “Matti Alahuhta’s experience at the peak of world-class international companies and his views on how economic external relations should be developed for the benefit of Finnish enterprises are highly valuable to the creation of a successful action plan. We expect the working group’s efforts will be a significant boost both to the export activities of Finnish enterprises and to government administration, illustrating how government can support companies’ in their export activities.”
Additional information: Veera Heinonen, Director of Communications, tel. +358 40 568 3896