Ulkoasiainhallinnon uudistamishanke 2023

UH-uudistus työryhmän asettamispäätös allekirjoitettu 30.8.2023 PDF

11.9.2023 Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Working group recommendations on the reform of the Foreign Service PDF

1.12.2023 Ministry for Foreign Affairs

On 30 August 2023, Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen appointed an internal working group at the Minister for Foreign Affairs to prepare a reform of the Foreign Service in accordance with the Government Programme. The deadline was set at 1 December 2023. The reform is needed because of the fundamental change in the foreign and security policy environment. The working group gives recommendations regarding six themes: management, resources, practices, competence development, organisation, and network of missions. The reform will be budget neutral. The recommendations aim to strengthen the Foreign Service’s capacity. The working group recommends a simpler structure of management groups and changes to the management culture. Annual targets set by the management should guide a flexible allocation of resources. Department heads should have a stronger role. Practices should be improved by streamlining time-consuming processes and by promoting digitalisation. Strategic human resources planning should be improved. There should be stronger efforts to develop the competence of personnel. A Euro-Atlantic department and two new units, one for EU affairs and one for strategy and policy planning, should be created. The working group recommends better business advice services, stronger exertion of influence in technology foreign policy and more efficient guidance of UN affairs. The resources of the mission network should be focused on countries of strategic importance to Finland. The administrative burden of missions should be eased.

Arbetsgruppens rekommenadtioner för att reformera utrikesförvaltningen PDF

1.12.2023

Den 30 augusti 2023 tillsatte utrikesminister Elina Valtonen en intern arbetsgrupp vid utrikesministeriet för att före den 1 december 2023 bereda reformen av utrikesförvaltningen i enlighet med regeringsprogrammet. Utgångspunkten för reformen är den grundläggande förändring som skett i den utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiska miljön. Arbetsgruppens rekommendationer gäller sex teman: ledning, resurser, verksamhetssätt, kompetensutveckling, organisation och nätverk av beskickningar. Reformen genomförs budgetneutralt. Syftet med rekommendationerna är att stärka utrikesförvaltningens handlingsförmåga. När det gäller ledningen rekommenderas det att strukturen hos ministeriets ledningsgrupp förenklas och att ledningskulturen ändras. De mål som ledningen årligen ställer upp styr en flexibel fördelning av resurserna. Avdelningschefernas roll betonas. I fråga om verksamhetssätten görs arbetstidkrävande processer lättare och digitaliseringen främjas. Den strategiska personalplaneringen utvecklas. Man satsar på personalens kompetensutveckling. En rekommendation är att det inrättas en euroatlantisk avdelning, en EU-enhet och en strategi- och politikplaneringsenhet. Företagsrådgivningen, påverkan i anslutning till teknologiutrikespolitik samt styrningen av FN-ärenden stärks. När det gäller nätverket av beskickningar riktas resurser till länder som är strategiskt viktiga för Finland. Beskickningarnas administrativa börda lättas.

Working group recommendations on the reform of the Foreign Service PDF

1.12.2023

On 30 August 2023, Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen appointed an internal working group at the Minister for Foreign Affairs to prepare a reform of the Foreign Service in accordance with the Government Programme. The deadline was set at 1 December 2023. The reform is needed because of the fundamental change in the foreign and security policy environment. The working group gives recommendations regarding six themes: management, resources, practices, competence development, organisation, and network of missions. The reform will be budget neutral. The recommendations aim to strengthen the Foreign Service’s capacity. The working group recommends a simpler structure of management groups and changes to the management culture. Annual targets set by the management should guide a flexible allocation of resources. Department heads should have a stronger role. Practices should be improved by streamlining time-consuming processes and by promoting digitalisation. Strategic human resources planning should be improved. There should be stronger efforts to develop the competence of personnel. A Euro-Atlantic department and two new units, one for EU affairs and one for strategy and policy planning, should be created. The working group recommends better business advice services, stronger exertion of influence in technology foreign policy and more efficient guidance of UN affairs. The resources of the mission network should be focused on countries of strategic importance to Finland. The administrative burden of missions should be eased.

Tiedote UH-uudistus 16.10.2023 DOCX

16.10.2023

Tiedote UH-uudistus DOCX

4.9.2023