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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.

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 ...

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.

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...

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.

4.5.2026 | Additional capital totalling EUR 200 million will enable the gradual ramp-up of the project. Keliber is the first lithium project in Europe with integrated production from mine to refinery.

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.