Minister Toivakka leads a Team Finland visit to Copenhagen to increase trade with UN organizations

Press release 7/2016
18/01/2016

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka will travel to Denmark on 18–20 January, accompanied by a business delegation. The aim of the Team Finland visit is to promote Finnish companies' and civil society organizations' participation in UN organizations' procurements.

Ten UN organizations are based in Copenhagen and a considerable share of their product and services procurements are made there. Major buyers in the city include the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The visit is organised in cooperation with Finpro, and a delegation of 14 Finnish companies and organizations will offer their products and services in three fields of operation central for the UN: health technology, ICT and cleantech.

The UN has reformed its procurement processes, which opens up new opportunities for the Finns. The principles of sustainable development and sound life-cycle practices, for instance, are emphasized more than before. Other significant criteria in the choice of suppliers are an innovative approach, security of supply, and optimizing the distribution chain.

"There would be plenty of room for growth for the Finns in their business with the UN. Finnish innovations attract interest but we must be active and determined and offer them ourselves. Compared to the other Nordic countries, we lag behind in this matter," Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Toivakka says.

In 2014, for example, UN organizations purchased products and serviced by over USD 17 billion. Contracts with Finnish suppliers amounted to only USD 20.9 million. The sum is small when compared to the other Nordic countries: by way of example, products and services were bought from Demark by USD 420.5 million.

Minister Toivakka will also meet Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNOPS Grete Faremo and directors of the UN's Nordic offices. The Minister will also meet representatives of Danish companies and CSOs and visit the central organization of Danish business life.

The following companies will be represented in the delegation:

• Baby Wellness Oy
• Betonimestarit / BMSE
• Claned Group
• FCG International Oy
• Finn Church Aid FCA
• Funzi
• Fuzu Ltd.
• Human Security Finland/Kuopio Innovation Ltd.
• KT-Shelter Oy
• Naps Solar Systems Oy
• Nextbase Offshore Oy
• Nuovo Nordic Healthcare Services
• Sunit Oy
• Vaisala Oyj

Inquiries: Johanna Karanko, Director, tel. +358 50 439 47 58, [email protected] (UN export); Katja Luopajärvi, Counsellor, tel. +358 50 436 65 06, katja.luopajä[email protected] (other programme in Denmark); Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to Minister Toivakka, tel. +358 40 352 0463, [email protected]