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2.2.2026 | Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto will visit the United Arab Emirates, Zambia and South Africa from 2 to 10 February 2026. The purpose of the visit is to promote exports of Finnish companies and to strengthen Finland’s role in the mineral value chains.

27.11.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited South Africa on 26–27 November. In Pretoria, Prime Minister Orpo met for discussions with the Deputy President of South Africa, Paul Mashatile. This was the first-ever visit by a Finnish prime minister to Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country. The main purpose of the visit was to promote commercial and economic relations between Finland and South Africa, and the Prime Minister had several meetings related to export promotion.

20.11.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will attend the European Union–African Union Summit in Angola on 24–25 November. From there, Prime Minister Orpo will continue on to South Africa, where he will take part in a trade mission promoting bilateral relations between Finland and South Africa on 26–27 November.

26.1.2024 | South Africa has approved the import of unheated frozen pork from Finland to its market.

14.8.2025 | At its session on Thursday 14 August, the Government appointed Timo Olkkonen as the new Deputy Director General of the Department for Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

14.8.2026 | At the presidential session on Friday 14 August, the President of the Republic appointed Jukka Pajarinen Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Riyadh, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Jakarta and Janne Taalas Head of Finland’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. Pajarinen and Suomela-Chowdhury will take up their posts on 1 September and Taalas on 1 November 2026.

18.1.2023 | South Africa has approved the import of Finnish heated pork products to its market. Export to South Africa can be started immediately.

25.4.2023 | During the state visit of the President of the Republic of Finland to the Republic of South Africa, a Letter of Intent on Co-Operation in Peace Mediation was signed on 25 April between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.

14.11.2022 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland Mr Ville Skinnari will lead a trade mission to South Africa and Namibia from 14 to 18 November. The programme of the visit includes meetings with representatives of South African and Namibian governments, central banks and businesses.

26.11.2021 | Based on the recommendations of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommends avoiding all travel to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mosambik and Malawi

18.1.2021 | Direct passenger flights from the UK, Ireland and South Africa continue to be suspended Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 18.1.2021 15.37 Type: News item The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has decided that the sus...

21.1.2021 | Changes to travel recommendations: avoid all travel to United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 21.1.2021 12.50 Type: News item The Ministry for Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all travel to the United ...

2.2.2021 | Changes to travel recommendations: avoid all travel to Brazil, Ireland, Portugal, South Africa and the United Kingdom Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 2.2.2021 9.52 Type: News item The Ministry for Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all t...

8.12.2022 | Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson will travel to South Africa to attend an international conference in Pretoria on 7–8 February 2023. After that, the Minister will visit Namibia.

1.1.2022 | In his blog post, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto commemorates the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

28.2.2023 | According to a study published on 28 February, intensifying great power competition increasingly complicates the ability to respond to global challenges through multilateral cooperation. Finland can respond to this transformation by strengthening the EU’s foreign policy capacities and by examining the potential of informal avenues of cooperation as well as partnerships in the context of the Global South.

28.11.2021 | As of 15.00 on Sunday 28 November, Finland will restrict entry into the country at its external borders for travellers who have been in Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe during the 14 days prior to their arrival in Finland. The Government adopted a decision on the matter on 28 November.

13.3.2026 | At the presidential session on Friday 13 March, the President of the Republic appointed the following persons to serve as heads of missions, starting from 1 September 2026: Ann-Christine Krank, Algiers; Veikko Kiljunen, Buenos Aires; Salla Sammalkivi, Santiago de Chile; and Markku Lampinen, Tunis.

10.3.2026 | The 2026 call for applications for the Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) funding is now open. JIF is designed to strengthen digital, climate-positive innovation activity. The funding will support the expansion of market-ready, digitally enabled innovations through cross-border partnerships.

9.6.2026 | Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen held a speech at the meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity in Kouvola on 9 June 2026.

26.9.2025 | The Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne will attend the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, from 29 September to 1 October 2025. In 2025, the G20 Presidency is assumed by South Africa. 

24.11.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is of the view that the negotiations between Ukraine and the United States in Geneva have moved the Ukraine peace plan in the right direction. On Monday 24 November, Prime Minister Orpo attended an informal meeting of EU leaders on the status of the peace negotiations.

23.5.2025 | At the presidential session on 23 May, the President of the Republic appointed the following persons to serve as heads of missions: Petri Puhakka, Kathmandu; Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen, Paris; Eija Rotinen, Bogota; Antti Putkonen, Baghdad; Ville Cantell, Reykjavik; Lasse Keisalo, Lima; Katja Ahlfors, Dakar; Teemu Turunen, London; and Stefan Lindström, Houston. In addition, the President of the Repub...

21.1.2025 | Veera Virmasalo, (MA), has been appointed to the post of Senior Specialist in Higher Education and Science Policy at the Embassy of Finland in Pretoria from 14 January 2025 to 31 July 2027. Team Finland Knowledge experts are responsible for monitoring higher education and science policy, promoting cooperation opportunities and making Finnish higher education institutions better known in their designated country.

26.2.2025 | The ministers met in Helsinki on 26 February. They discussed the bilateral relations between Finland and Türkiye and EU–Türkiye trade and economic relations.

12.12.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will host a summit on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December in Saariselkä. The North-South Summit will bring together leaders from northern and southern Europe to discuss key issues facing Europe in a tense geopolitical climate.

25.8.2025 | "Finland is advancing the interests of Finland and Finnish businesses in a proactive and forward-looking way, also in the midst of ongoing changes."

25.8.2025 | "Our task is to promote a world in which as many people as possible—regardless of country of birth and circumstances—can live their lives safely and freely, and be happy. That is Finland’s story."

4.4.2024 | The UN Human Rights Council adopted the resolution Combating Discrimination, Violence, and Harmful Practices against Intersex Persons on 4 April. The resolution was presented by Finland together with Australia, Chile and South Africa. Several states across the world also supported the resolution.

2.5.2024 | Defence Forces to join US National Guard Partnership Program Ministry of Defence Publication date 2.5.2024 14.56 Type: Press release On 2 May 2024, Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen and Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin signed a Letter of Inten...

9.11.2023 | Former President of the Republic of Finland, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ambassador and State Secretary of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Martti Ahtisaari passed away in Helsinki on 16 October 2023 at the age of 86. He was born on 23 June 1937 in Vyborg.

25.8.2023 | The Research Council of Finland and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland have granted funding for nine research projects within a call for applications that was launched under the Academy Programme for Development Research, DEVELOP2. The programme provides funding for multidisciplinary and problem-driven research that describes and interprets dimensions of development, helps understand obstacles to development and finds ways in which those obstacles can be removed.

11.8.2023 | At the presidential session on Friday 11 August, the President of the Republic appointed a new Ambassador to Ireland and new non-resident Ambassadors to Djibouti, South Sudan, Malta and San Marino. In addition, the Government appointed a new Under-Secretary of State for International Trade.

11.5.2023 | Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has aggravated world hunger and multiplied global humanitarian needs. For this reason, Finland’s humanitarian assistance focuses on life-saving food in 2023.

12.12.2022 | Finland will participate in the replenishment cycle of the African Development Fund and in the reinforcing of the Fund’s work in the coming years, especially with regard to climate change adaptation. The African Development Fund helps the poorest African countries in coping with the many coinciding crises and in recovering from them.

11.9.2023 | The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will hold its 54th session from 11 September to 13 October in Geneva, Switzerland.

30.11.2023 | Over the past decade, Finland has improved its ranking in the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index study from 18th to 15th place. The study of people’s images of 60 countries shows that Finland is on the rise, especially as a country to live in or visit.

21.3.2023 | The first UN Water Conference in 46 years takes place in New York on 22–24 March 2023. The Finnish delegation is composed of a broad spectrum of stakeholders representing the water sector. Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, stresses the importance of good governance of water resources, cooperation between the public and private sectors, and the high level of expertise Finland has in water issues.

7.6.2023 | The OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) will take place from 7 to 8 June 2023 in Paris. The theme of this year’s meeting is securing a resilient future. The ministers will also discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine.

18.9.2023 | The Finnish Chef Association has published Finnish food recipes (‘Suomiruoka-reseptiikka’) to promote Finland’s country branding and food exports. The recipes will serve Finnish embassies and missions around the world and those organising international meetings and events in Finland. When ready, the material will be freely available to everyone. The material was produced under an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

23.5.2022 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will be present at the World Village Festival on Sunday 29 May. At the weekend, the events at the Market Square and Tiivistämö in the Suvilahti area will focus on the boundaries of our planet.

19.9.2022 | “The fight for natural resources is a common trigger for conflict in many places. When I was in Uganda, I saw what an immense impact climate change and loss of biodiversity have on people’s lives,” says Anna Merrifield, Director of the recently created Unit for Climate and Environmental Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

10.4.2023 | The Good Friday Agreement was signed on 10 April 1998 after lengthy negotiations, bringing to an end three decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

9.9.2022 | At the presidential session on Friday 9 September, the President of the Republic appointed a new Ambassador to Pakistan and three new non-resident Ambassadors and decided on three authorisations to represent Finland.

23.8.2021 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is making preparations to expand and strengthen the network of Finnish missions abroad. A new embassy will be opened in Dakar, Senegal. The embassy would start operations at some point later this year. In September 2020, Finland reopened its embassy in Manila, the Philippines. In addition to Dakar, Finland is currently preparing to open a mission in the capital of Qatar, Doha.

8.1.2021 | Suspension of passenger flights from the UK extended Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 8.1.2021 19.49 Type: News item The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has decided to continue to suspend passenger flights from th...

23.8.2021 | Distinguished Ministers and Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the 2021 Meeting of Heads of Mission! As you can see from the picture, I am here in the familiar Engel Hall in the newly renovated premises of Merikasarmi. While on the face of it this space may appear to be the same as before, the Ritarikatu Hall, where the panel discussions are being held, is not easily recognisable.

8.11.2022 | The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is hosting three side events at the COP27 Climate Change Conference in Egypt on 10 and 12 November in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers. The events will present the Catch the Carbon package of climate measures and discuss research on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands. The discussions will be streamed live as a webcast.

10.11.2021 | Minister for Foreign Affairs Haavisto will meet Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See Paul Gallagher in Helsinki on 12 November.

7.11.2022 | Finland’s human rights record will be examined in the Universal Periodic Review by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 9 November. The review gives UN Member States the opportunity to ask Finland questions about our human rights record and give Finland recommendations. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will head Finland’s interministerial delegation.

17.6.2021 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommends exercising special caution when travelling to the EU and Schengen area The Ministry also recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to countries outside the EU and Schengen area, except for countries for which the restrictions on entry have been lifted. In addition, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs still recommends avoiding all travel to Brazil, South Africa and India.

9.12.2021 | Nearly 9,400 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Finland between 29 November and 5 December. The weekly number of reported COVID-19 cases has doubled from the end of October and the start of November. The number of new cases was about 4,200 between 25 and 31 October and about 5,200 between 1 and 7 November. The number of people seeking testing has also been increasing for several weeks now. The bur...

21.9.2021 | Finland joined the international Global Learning Network of the World Economic Forum. Minister of Education Li Andersson participated in the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit on 21 September. A central theme at the meeting was to find solutions to close the education gap in education systems around the world that arose during the pandemic.

12.2.2021 | Finland invests in climate diplomacy ahead of summits Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 12.2.2021 15.34 Type: News item The year 2021 will be a “super year” for climate change and biodiversity. Finland's own ambitious climate objective...

13.12.2021 | The province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique has been under attack by Islamic insurgents for more than four years. Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen, Ambassador of Finland to Mozambique, explains what is happening in Cabo Delgado and why it is important for Finland to participate in the EU training mission.

22.11.2021 | The Government of Finland awards the International Gender Equality Prize now for the third time. This year's prizewinner is We Will Stop Femicide Platform, an organisation that does groundbreaking work combating violence against women in Turkey and whose work has a global relevance.

22.8.2022 | "While Europe stands united in relation to Russia and in condemning military action, we must not ignore or forget Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Yemen and other countries where human rights or the social conditions for living a decent life are under threat. The global need for humanitarian aid is now greater than ever before. No single humanitarian crisis is more important than another. These are always matters of human distress."

8.11.2021 | The Parties to the UN Climate Change Agreement will meet in Glasgow, Great Britain on 31 October–12 November. One of the conference's key themes is adaptation to climate change and its funding, especially in developing countries. The least developed countries and the poorest people suffer the most from the impacts of climate change even though they contribute to it the least.

28.7.2021 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 17 million to international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) for 2021–2024. The support was granted to five organisations for their work on promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHRs) worldwide, and especially in Afghanistan, and for strengthening tax transparency in sub-Saharan Africa.

17.6.2021 | Entry into Finland from EU and Schengen countries will be allowed for those who have received an approved COVID-19 vaccination series and those who have recovered from COVID-19 less than six months ago prior to entry. Entry into the country will also be allowed for those travelling from EU and Schengen countries because of their work. The changes will enter into force on 21 June. On 17 June, the Governm...