Minister Blomqvist to attend virtual meeting of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation

NordenBladet — Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist will attend a virtual meeting of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation on 8 February. This will be the first meeting during Norway’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2022. Finland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers ended at the turn of the year.The main items on the meeting agenda will be preparation of the budget of the Nordic Council of Ministers for 2023 and cooperation in times of crisis. Ministers will discuss, among other things, monitoring of the recommendations included in the strategy report on the cooperation, compiled by former government minister Jan-Erik Enestam. “We will continue the implementation of Our Vision 2030 and the Action Plan prepared to support it.  This will show also in the focal points of the budget of the Council of Ministers. The Nordic countries’ objective to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world has been further accentuated during the pandemic, and we will continue our determined work towards a green, competitive and socially sustainable Nordic region. In this connection, the development of our common crisis preparedness is also of central importance. One of the key themes of the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers was the promotion of Nordic cooperation in the field of security of supply and preparedness. I am happy to note that Norway has expressed its strong commitment to continuing the work launched by Finland,” Minister Blomqvist says.  The President of the Nordic Council, Member of Parliament Erkki Tuomioja, has been invited to attend the meeting and to contribute Nordic parliamentarians’ views on matters related to the budget of the Nordic Council of Ministers. During the budget debate, solutions will also be sought to the renovation needs of the Nordic House, designed by Alvar Aalto, which is located in Reykjavik. Additionally, the meeting will decide on a new strategy concerning the Nordic countries’ international profile and on the continuation of the Nordic cooperation on the integration of refugees and migrants in society.