Nordic and African countries discuss security and migration

Press release 99/2016
26 May 2015

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka will participate in the annual Nordic–African Foreign Ministers Meeting in Oslo on 26–27 May. The meeting will focus on security questions. In addition, the Ministers will discuss the objectives of sustainable development and approaches to the prevention of terrorism and radicalisation. In its keynote address, Finland will deal with migration.

"The number of displaced persons now totals over 60 million worldwide. Uncontrolled migration is not in anyone's interest. It is important to remember that many African countries accept more refugees than European countries do," says Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Toivakka.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development brings forth the positive effects of migration in the receiving societies. As an example of this, Minister Toivakka highlights the active participation of the Somali diaspora living in Finland in the development of Somalia's health sector.

All the Nordic countries and twenty invited African countries will attend the meeting.

Meetings between the Nordic and African countries have been organised since 2001 on the initiative of Sweden’s late Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. The participating African countries were chosen on the basis of their interest in the Nordic welfare state, democracy and gender equality.

The discussions are unoffical and decisions are not made. The meetings have been praised for providing an open and informal forum for ministers to discuss even difficult issues.

Inquiries: Emma Hannonen, Special Adviser to Minister Toivakka, tel. +358 50 574 0736 (requests for interviewing Minister Toivakka) and Pirjo Virtanen, Counsellor, Department for Africa and the Middle East, tel. +358295 350 541.

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are of the format [email protected].