Foreign Minister Soini presents Finnish expertise in Australia and New Zealand
Press Release 35/2016
23 February 2016
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will visit Australia and New Zealand from 29 February to 5 March 2016. He will visit Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne as well as Auckland in New Zealand.
Minister Soini will be accompanied by a delegation of nine companies and organisations. The visit will promote awareness of Finnish business activities and innovations and strengthen the political relations with these countries.
Minister Soini will meet both countries' Foreign Ministers and Ministers responsible for the business sector and innovations. Their discussions will focus on the economic relations and topical foreign and security policy questions, developments in Asia, and China's significance. Like Australia, Finland participates in NATO's Enhanced Operations Partners programme (EOP).
During the visit, Finland and Estonia will host business forums focusing on innovation in Canberra and Auckland. The aim is to raise awareness of them as resourceful partners and to help the accompanying companies in networking. In Melbourne, Minister Soini will meet representatives of the large Finnish community in Australia.
One of the objectives of the visit is to strengthen the relations between Estonia and Finland. The visit is organised in cooperation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Marina Kaljurand and her business delegation. Estonia will open an Embassy in Canberra, co-located in the same building where Finland has its Embassy.
Foreign Minister Soini's visit is a part of the Finnish Government's export promotion efforts. Minister of Defence Niinistö will travel to Australia in March, and important Australian business leaders will visit Finland at the turn of June and July during their annual tour of Europe.
Many Finnish companies have already established business activities in Australia and New Zealand. There is significant purchasing power and plenty of untapped potential that could be harnessed. Both countries are firmly engaged in the Asian economic development. Known for their western business culture and developed infrastructure, they also serve as a gateway for many foreign companies to expanding business opportunities in Asia.
The companies and organisations participating in the visit are: Cargotec, Comptel, Exel Composites, Ekokem, Fortum/Posiva, Patria, Slush, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and Wärtsilä.
Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister, tel. +358 46 923 4581 and Kimmo Lähdevirta, Director General, Department for the Americas and Asia, tel. +358 295 351 746.