Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo opened today the new Finnish Embassy headquarters in Abu Dhabi, reflecting the strong bilateral ties between the UAE and Finland.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Orpo emphasized the importance of friendly relations between the two countries, expressing hope for their continued growth and development in the future. He also highlighted the UAE’s role as a strategic partner for Finland and stressed the importance of strengthening this partnership for the benefit of both nations.
Bilateral relations continue to grow
The inauguration ceremony saw the participation of Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State; Tuula Johanna Yrjola, Ambassador of Finland to the UAE; Amna Mahmoud Fikri, UAE’s Ambassador to Finland; Omar Rashid Al Neyadi, Director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; embassy staff and several members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the UAE.
For his part, the Finnish Ambassador to the UAE highlighted the deepening of bilateral relations over the 50 years of diplomatic ties, underscoring that opening the new embassy headquarters is an important step to boost cooperation and relations between the two countries.
Trade between Finland and the UAE has grown considerably in recent years, making the UAE the largest destination for Finnish exports in the Gulf and Middle East region. The total trade value between the two countries in 2023 reached €948 million.
The total value of Finnish exports to the UAE in 2023 was €565 million, up from €464 million in 2022. Meanwhile, the total value of imports from the UAE to Finland was €383 million, a notable increase compared to €228 million in 2022. The main products that Finland exported to the UAE were ships, floating structures and machinery and equipment. Meanwhile, the UAE’s main imports to Finland were plastic and plastic products, aluminum and aluminum goods, organic compounds, machineries and equipment.
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Enhancing cooperation in key sectors
Prime Minister Orpo is visiting the UAE from January 13–15. During his visit, he met with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The meeting held at the Za’abeel Palace in Dubai explored new avenues for cooperation between the two nations in several vital sectors to advance mutual development goals.
Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the UAE’s aspirations to enhance collaboration with Finland in sectors such as education, healthcare, circular economy, technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, space and telecommunications. He also emphasized the importance of providing incentives and support to the private sectors of both nations to unlock new opportunities and expand the scope of their partnership.
