Stubb wants to modernize the Foreign Ministry

At a seminar on Finland, the EU Foreign Service and change of diplomacy:
"Kuka ajaa etujamme? Suomi, EU:n ulkosuhdehallinto ja diplomatian muutos", organised by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, Minister Stubb presented three principles for updating the Foreign Service: selectivity, efficiency and openness. Putting them into practice will mean streamlined administration, changes in the embassy network, and better use of advanced communication technology.

"The Foreign Ministry is a high-level professional organisation that is trusted for defending Finland. However, well-being in Finland is more and more dependent on what's going on in the rest of the world. In the 1970's and 80's we had Moscow, and in the 1990's, Brussels. From 2010 onwards we will also have Beijing,” Stubb outlined.

“The Foreign Service must become more influential and "agile". We must leave defensive game and score some goals.”

Alongside with Finnish Foreign Service, the European Union is developing its External Action Service (EAS), which, according to Stubb, will be “highly complementary to the Member States' national diplomacy”.

Stubb proposed ten concrete points in his speech as a start-up for the change, which will help the Foreign Service respond to the challenges of the changing, multi-polar world.

1. We will lobby 15-30 Finns to the EAS including two Heads of Delegation.
2. We will launch a renewal process in the Finnish embassy network. The changes will be implemented over five years.
3. We will go through with the "House of Finland" operating concept to reduce overlapping in foreign networks of government financed organisations (Foreign Ministry's Embassies, Finpro, Tekes, cultural institutes etc.) and build up maximum influence.
4. We will continue streamlining the Foreign Ministry's administration by using information and communication technology and outsourcing.
5. We will continue developing services for citizens: in the future we'll have a 24/7 service helpline and a situation centre to maintain the service.
6. The Foreign Ministry and Embassies will update their communications:
using Facebook, Twitter and any new social media innovations becomes commonplace.
7. The Training Course on International Affairs (KAVAKU) will be opened for a wider audience including government administration, companies and organisations.
8. Advisers recruited to the Foreign Ministry will be selected through standard procedures without representation of political parties.
9. State officials are encouraged to build experience outside the Foreign Ministry missions in the EU External Action Service, exchanges of officials, and in the economy and organisations.
10. The Foreign Ministry will build a specific fellowship programme to allow temporary employment of promising experts within the administration.

Foreign Minister Stubb's full speech in finnish is linked: http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=193285&nodeid=15149&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI.

Further information: Press Attaché to the Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, tel. +358 40 732 8340