MFA: Finland to open an embassy in Doha

The operation of the Foreign Service relies on a comprehensive network of diplomatic and consular missions abroad. There must be a sufficient number of missions, and they must be established in locations that are of key importance for us. It is important that Finland's interests are promoted also in areas where it has not been present before, and the network of missions should reflect the changes that are taking place in the world around us. In the first years of the 21st century, some missions had to be closed to make savings, but efforts are now made to increase Finland's global presence. In September 2020, Finland reopened its embassy in Manila, the Philippines.

Opening a new embassy is a long and complex process. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs aims to allocate resources to countries and regions whose political and economic weight for Finland is growing. We have looked extensively into various opportunities. Both foreign policy needs and Finland's commercial interests were taken into account in the consideration.

An embassy in Doha will enable further development of political and economic relations between Finland and Qatar and provide greater possibilities for dialogue on various themes. These themes could include trade, commerce, investment, research, innovation, the environment, regional security and democracy. “An embassy in Doha will deepen the political relations between the countries and open up better opportunities for Finland to follow developments in the region,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto.

Qatar offers significant potential for both short- and long-term commercial cooperation. “A new embassy in Qatar will open up considerable opportunities for Finnish companies around Qatar and the Gulf region with their high purchasing power,” says Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari.

Inquiries:
Pekka Puustinen, Under-Secretary of State, tel. +358 295 350 228
Joel Linnainmäki, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 50 478 2587
Kirsi Airio, Special Adviser to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, tel. +358 50 574 1729
Hannu Ripatti, Counsellor for Foreign Affairs, Department for Africa and the Middle East, tel. +358 295 350 408

The email addresses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi