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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.

10.1.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will visit the United Arab Emirates on 13–15 January. The United Arab Emirates is a significant geopolitical player in the Gulf region. In addition to economic relations, the visit aims to promote political dialogue between the two countries. This year marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Finland.

15.1.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo cultivated political and economic relations between Finland and the United Arab Emirates during a working visit on 13–15 January. The programme for his visit included meetings with the President and Prime Minister of the UAE and with several ministers. His visit also coincided with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and the UAE. Prime Minister Orpo was accompanied on the visit by a business delegation put together by Business Finland.

21.11.2025 | The EU trade ministers will convene for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 24 November to discuss the Union’s trade relations with the United States and China. The ministers will also take stock of the EU’s ongoing bilateral trade negotiations. The participation of Minister Tavio in the meeting has been cancelled. Finland will be represented by Finland’s EU Ambassador Jori Arvonen.

19.12.2025 | The Finnish Government has made progress on its objective of doubling food exports by 2031. Business Finland’s foreign operations related to export promotion will be integrated into the structures of the Foreign Service, creating new opportunities to boost food exports through enhanced cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

9.5.2022 | Finland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on energy on 9 May 2022. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to develop technical and economic cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector and to promote the access of Finnish companies to the Emirati market.

13.2.2025 | Minister Anna-Kaisa Ikonen represented Finland at the World Governments Summit in the United Arab Emirates. At the event, the Suomi.fi service won the Govtech Prize for Best Government Service in the World.

13.3.2025 | The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will visit Finland on 14–15 March on the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen. This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and the United Arab Emirates.

25.8.2025 | Speech by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission in Helsinki on 25 August 2025. Speech to be checked against delivery.

27.11.2023 | Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in its trade configuration in Brussels on 27 November 2023. The trade ministers will discuss the preparations for the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, the EU’s trade agreement with Chile and the EU–US trade relations. The ministers will also discuss the EU’s ongoing bilateral trade negotiations.

16.10.2024 | In their first-ever summit in Brussels on Wednesday 16 October, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) outlined a vision for closer cooperation. For Finland, it was important that the joint statement issued at the summit condemn Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.

13.12.2023 | UN Climate Conference COP28 has ended after having gone into overtime due to challenging negotiations. For the final text a historical agreement was reached concerning fossil fuels, but the chances to meet the 1.5 degree target seem quite fragile. The countries and especially the large economies should take urgent action to meet the target.

4.11.2024 | The world states will convene at the Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan on 11–22 November. The aim is to decide on a new common climate finance target. A faster energy transition will be needed as the countries are preparing to set new emission reduction targets during next year.

30.11.2023 | On Thursday 30 November, the parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change reached an agreement on a fund to compensate for climate loss and damage. The fund has been a high priority especially for small and poor countries.

15.1.2023 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari visits Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on 16 January and attends the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

20.11.2023 | A high-level conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, will discuss the organisation's vision for cleaner sources of energy, including sustainable and low-carbon aviation fuels, on 20–24 November 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

29.9.2023 | At the presidential session on Friday 29 September, the President of the Republic appointed one new Ambassador and three new non-resident Ambassadors.

19.1.2024 | Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend an informal meeting of EU trade ministers in Brussels on 22–23 January. The meeting will focus on preparations for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Ministerial Conference, and the ministers will also discuss the matter with WTO Director-General. Further, the ministers will discuss the contribution of trade policy to the prosperity and resilience of the EU.

27.11.2023 | On 20–24 November 2023, a high-level conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) convened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and outlined the organisation's global vision for cleaner sources of energy, including sustainable and low-carbon aviation fuels. ICAO aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. 

30.11.2023 | Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will visit Dubai in the United Arab Emirates 2–4 December. Minister Tavio will attend events organised as part of the UN Climate Change Conference and meet ministers from other countries and representatives of businesses and international organisations.