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7.7.2026 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has received approximately 2,200 seasonal work visa applications this year for the purpose of wild-berry picking in Finland. To date, a majority of the applications have been processed, approximately 1,600 applications in total. The processing has revealed indications of a risk of worker exploitation, as well as shortcomings in employers’ compliance with their statutory obligations. The majority of the applications, approximately 1,400, have been refused.

3.11.2025 | On 28 October 2025, Finland and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a strategic partnership in the energy sector. The particular areas of cooperation are the promotion of energy and clean technologies, security of energy supply and decarbonisation of electricity and heat production.

9.6.2025 | Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on 10–11 June. This is her first visit to Central Asia as the Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The aim of the visit is to strengthen the OSCE’s partnership in the region.

4.12.2025 | Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen hosted an informal meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the Nordic and Central Asian countries on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council in Vienna on 4 December 2025. The meeting brought together ministers or their representatives from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

8.4.2024 | Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will lead a trade mission to Almaty and Astana in Kazakhstan on 9–12 April.

27.10.2025 | Eleven negative decisions on real estate transactions Ministry of Defence Publication date 27.10.2025 9.20 Type: Press release On 24 October 2025, Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen denied eleven prospective buyers from outside the EU and EEA a pe...

13.5.2021 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Kazakhstan on 12–14 May.

20.2.2023 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will lead a broad delegation on a visit to Uzbekistan from 21 to 23 February and to Kazakhstan from 23 to 25 February. Minister Skinnari is scheduled to meet state leaders of both countries.

1.3.2023 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari led a broad delegation on a visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan from 21 to 24 February. The Team Finland visit was organised in collaboration with EastCham Finland, which is a Finnish chambers of commerce focusing on the Central Asian market. Emerging economies are interested in Finnish expertise in such sectors as education, energy and the environment.

10.10.2022 | The Finnish-Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation will meet in Helsinki on 11 October. Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will chair the meeting. The Kazakh delegation is led by Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Serikkali Brekeshev.

2.3.2023 | The Embassy of Finland in Astana handles relations with not only Kazakhstan but also with Kyrgyzstan, which is Finland’s partner in development cooperation. The increasingly frequent exchanges of visits and the growing interest in the cooperation opportunities available in Central Asia keep me busy, says Soili Mäkeläinen-Buhanist, Finland’s Ambassador in Astana.

26.1.2023 | The Central Asian countries are rich in extractives and renewable energy sources. Sustainable and responsible use of these resources is one of the key factors determining the future of these countries, according to Ilkka Räisänen, Finland’s Roving Ambassador for Central Asia.

31.3.2022 | In Central Asia, water issues play a key role in achieving the goals of sustainable development as well as conflict prevention.

21.6.2021 | The Council of the European Union has appointed Ambassador Terhi Hakala to serve as the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia, starting on 1 July 2021.

20.1.2022 | EU foreign ministers will convene in Brussels on 24 January. The main items on the agenda are the security situation in Eastern Europe and the latest developments in Libya and Syria. The ministers will also discuss the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the situation in Mali, Sudan and Kazakhstan. Later the same day, Foreign Minister Haavisto and Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde will meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

19.7.2021 | Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde, who is the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in 2021, has appointed Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen to serve as the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group. Kinnunen will take up his duties on 1 August.

11.2.2022 | At the presidential session on Friday 11 February, the President of the Republic appointed new Ambassadors.

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14.3.2020 | If you are travelling abroad, return to Finland! Ministry for Foreign Affairs Publication date 14.3.2020 13.41 Type: Press release Due to the prevailing emergency conditions based on the Emergency Powers Act, the Government has decided to restrict...

19.4.2021 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland Ville Skinnari delivered the statement on behalf of the governments and peoples of 81 countries.