Minister Skinnari to visit Austria and Slovakia

NordenBladet — Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Vienna and Bratislava on 14–16 March.In Vienna, Minister Skinnari will have discussions, for example, with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Gerd Müller and Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly. The Minister will also meet Secretary General Michael Esterl from the Austrian Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs and representatives of Finnish companies.In Slovakia, Minister Skinnari will meet, among others, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Richard Sulík, Deputy Prime Minister for Investments Veronika Remišová and State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Marian Majer.In Vienna, the topics of discussion will include the future of nuclear energy and the role of nuclear energy in reaching the climate targets, Finland’s expertise and solutions in the field of nuclear energy, digitalisation and the green transition as drivers of economic recovery in Europe, and various opportunities for cooperation with the UN agencies located in Vienna. In Bratislava, the Minister will have discussions on various questions relating to the development of commercial and economic cooperation in the fields of circular economy, energy efficiency and defence materiel. The Minister will also discuss the Ukraine crisis and the current foreign and security policy situation with various parties.During the ministerial visit, Finland’s Mission in Vienna will organise an event to present Finnish nuclear energy expertise and to discuss the role of nuclear energy in achieving the climate and energy objectives, as well as to present Finland’s nuclear energy expertise and nuclear waste management solutions. The Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Fortum, Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and Posiva will be represented at the event.“The importance of cooperation is highlighted in times of crisis. We are working together to find solutions that will make Europe more climate-friendly and energy-efficient as well as a safer place to live,” says Minister Skinnari.