NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which will be held in Stockholm on 1–2 December. Sweden holds the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2021. The meeting will discuss, among others, conflicts in the OSCE region as well as the situation in Afghanistan and its wider security impacts.The OSCE is a key forum for European security. Its activities are divided into three dimensions, which are based on the three baskets of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975: political-military dimension, economic and environmental dimensions, and human dimension. Efforts to resolve conflicts in the OSCE region are an important part of the organisation’s activities.
NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 17.82 million to international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) for 2022–2024. Support was granted to 11 international human rights organisations operating in developing countries, whose work focuses on four themes: ending impunity; supporting human rights defenders; strengthening the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights and addressing discriminatory practices; and business and human rights.Funding international NGOs promotes the objectives of Finland’s human rights-based foreign and security policy and development policy. “Civil society plays a key role in promoting human rights worldwide. By supporting human rights organisations, we can reach representatives of vulnerable groups and bring their voices to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council, of which Finland will be a Member for the term 2022–2024. Achieving results requires both joint advocacy and funding,” says Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari. It is important for Finland to promote the rights of persons in a vulnerable position. The partnerships lay stress on the rights of women and girls, human rights defenders, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities and indigenous peoples. The increasing importance of business activities in the realisation of human rights is also reflected in the work of the supported organisations.
“Finland promotes responsible business conduct both nationally and internationally. It is important that companies respect human rights both in their own activities and in their business relationships. Organisations supported by Finland play a key role as partners for business, in supporting human rights defenders and in highlighting companies’ human rights impacts,” Skinnari says.Discretionary government grants have been awarded to the following organisations:International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), EUR 1,000,000. ICTJ is an organisation focusing transitional justice, which intervenes in the legacy of human rights violations in states recovering from different conflicts and periods of repression. ICTJ’s work lays a foundation for peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), EUR 1,991,600. The ICJ promotes the development of human rights norms at global level and the implementation of human rights obligations in its focus countries. Finland supports a project that promotes the rule of law in Colombia, Myanmar, Nepal, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), EUR 1,720,371. ISHR is an international human rights organisation, which exercises influence in international human rights forums to improve the status of human rights defenders. ISHR also supports human rights defenders in developing countries to strengthen their skills and knowledge of human rights norms.Front Line Defenders, EUR 1,500,000. Front Line Defenders strengthens the position and protection of human rights defenders. Finland supports a project that addresses the increase in killings of human rights defenders, harassment against women human rights defenders, digital attacks as well as threats facing human rights defenders working on issues involving businesses.Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT), EUR 1,300,000. The OMCT works with more than 200 member organisations to end torture and inhuman treatment and to support human rights defenders.Access Now, EUR 1,755,415. Access Now defends the digital rights of users at risk. Finland supports a project that protects human rights defenders through the development of digital security, material support, advocacy and legal work.International Disability Alliance (IDA), EUR 2,145,000. IDA represents more than a thousand organisations promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. Finland supports a project that aims to promote the economic, social and cultural rights of persons with disabilities in Mozambique, Angola and Zambia.Minority Rights Group (MRG), EUR 2,124,770. MRG works to safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups around the world. Finland supports a project tackling discrimination that prevents full realisation of the economic, social and cultural rights of ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities.ILGA World: International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), EUR 1,800,000. ILGA World is a worldwide federation advocating the rights of sexual and gender minorities with a network of members in over 100 countries. Finland supports a project that focuses on preventing persons belonging to sexual and gender minorities from being excluded from education, employment, housing and health services.Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), EUR 949,914. BHRRC is an organisation dedicated to advancing human rights in business. Finland supports a project that promotes human rights activities in renewable energy companies and mining companies supplying materials for renewable energy technology. The project is carried out in Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique. International Alert, EUR 1,582,326. International Alert is an organisation focusing on peacebuilding. Finland supports a project that focuses on improving the operating environment for business and human rights to help resolve conflicts in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. UM.fi: Support for international non-governmental organisations
NordenBladet — Sima Sami Bahous, appointed as Executive Director of the United Nations gender equality organisation UN Women in September, will visit Finland on 8–9 December.On 8 December, she will meet Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari to discuss the close relations between Finland and UN Women, and the many forms of cooperation to improve the global situation of women and girls. On the same day, Under-Secretary of State Elina Kalkku will lead the yearly discussions with the organisation about the global environment and state of play in the work on equality and the organisation’s priorities and future activities.“With the support of especially Finland and other Nordic countries, the role of UN Women keeps growing and has become more settled, while at the same time gender equality work is being challenged in the world, perhaps more than ever before. It is important to discuss how UN Women intends to respond to these challenges in the coming years,” Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Skinnari says.In Finland, Executive Director General Bahous will also meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto and visit Parliament to meet members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
NordenBladet — The EU’s Energy Council will convene in Brussels on 2 December 2021. State Secretary Jukka Ihanus will represent Finland on behalf of Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. The meeting will focus on the energy initiatives in the Fit for 55 package concerning renewable energy and energy efficiency and the recent rise in energy prices in Europe.At the beginning of the meeting, the energy ministers will hold a policy debate on the European Commission’s Fit for 55 package published in July and, in particular, its proposals to amend the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). In addition, the Commission will present a progress report on the Fit for 55 package to the ministers. With regard to the Renewable Energy Directive, the ministers will discuss which issues the Directive should regulate and how much flexibility should be permitted to the Member States. As concerns the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Member States’ statements will focus on the extent to which the Commission’s proposed measures are balanced between tighter targets and the flexibility that takes into account the national circumstances.According to Finland, tighter targets can be accepted insofar as they actually take the Union towards the emission reduction target of 55 per cent. In case of both proposals, Finland is concerned about regulation becoming increasingly detailed. Instead of too rigid regulation, the EU needs predictable and enabling legislation to give companies the opportunity to make the investments necessary for reducing emissions.Finland considers it important that the outcome of the negotiations on the Fit for 55 package will be the achievement of the minimum climate target of 55% set for 2030, which can also be exceeded. The Energy Council will also exchange views on the rising energy prices and related measures. The discussion will be based on the preliminary report on the functioning of the electricity market published by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) on 15 November. The report was commissioned by the Commission in its communication on energy prices on 13 October. The report by ACER states that the dependence on gas and few electricity transmission connections between neighbouring countries make the Member States susceptible to high electricity prices. The agency considers the current high prices a temporary phenomenon that it estimates will last until April 2022. According to the preliminary report, no obvious market manipulation has been detected.Finland considers the impacts of higher energy prices on consumers regrettable. Phasing out fossil fuels and increasing the proportion of renewable and other emission-free energy sources are important measures, as they will protect people from price shocks in the longer term. It is Finland’s view that the EU should not take any action that would interfere with the emissions trading system or the electricity market.
The delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) is on a visit to Washington, D.C., where the meetings will focus on strengthening allied relations and security cooperation. The visit will last until Saturday.
The delegation includes Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson and members of the Committee Indrek Saar, Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski and Raivo Tamm.
“The United States are Estonia’s most important ally, whose contribution to ensuring the security of the Baltic region and to deterrence measures is priceless,” Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee said. “The Baltic Security Initiative budget package, which was approved in the Congress last year, has a significant role for Estonia. In the context of the latest security developments, the hybrid attack launched by Belarus and the events in the border regions of Ukraine, continuing of the Initiative at least to the same extent and enhancing of deterrence capacity are without doubt of key importance to our security,” Mihkelson added.
Today, the Estonian delegation has scheduled meetings with Chair Jeanne Shaheen and Ranking Member Ron Johnson of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, with Chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission Ben Cardin and member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services Kevin Cramer. They will also meet with co-chair of the European Union Caucus Representative Joe Wilson and representatives of the US Department of State.
Tomorrow, the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will meet with Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez, as well as with Chair Bill Keating and Ranking Member Brian Fitzpatrick of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber. They will also have meetings with leaders of the House of Representatives Baltic Caucus Ruben Gallego and Don Bacon, co-chair of the European Union Caucus Brendan Boyle and member of the Committee on Armed Services Liz Cheney. The delegation will also meet with the representatives of the US Department of State dealing with European and Eurasian affairs and Russian issues.
On Friday, the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee will participate in a round table on the developments of the US foreign policy at the Heritage Foundation and meet with the representatives of European and NATO policies of the US Department of Defense. The visit will end with a meeting with the Estonian experts working in Washington.
NordenBladet — The Ministry of Education and Culture, together with Finnish higher education institutions, research institutes and other stakeholders, has prepared recommendations for academic cooperation with Chinese partners. The recommendations help to identify the key challenges of cooperation and the features of the academic environment in China. The recommendations seek to ensure that it is possible to uphold the principles that are important for Finnish HEIs and research institutions.Finnish higher education institutions and research institutes have a long-standing and active history of academic partnerships with China. China’s global significance is expected to continue growing. Solving global issues requires cooperation, so there are strong grounds for partnerships. At the same time, it is important to recognise the different systems, ideological goals and values of different partners.The activities of Finnish higher education institutions and research institutes are based on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The recommendations seek to ensure that Finnish HEIs and research institutions can forge cooperation with Chinese partners based on these principles and interests. In particular, the recommendations focus on considerations related to academic freedom, good scientific practices, security and competitiveness.Recommendations for academic cooperation with China
NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation will host a delegation from Kosovo on 1 to 3 December 2021 in Helsinki, Finland. The delegation consists of political decision-makers. During their three-day stay in Helsinki, the delegation has meetings with Finnish and international experts.They will also meet with the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Anu Vehviläinen, Minister for European Affiars and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen and Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist.The delegation’s visit is part of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and CMI’s initiative to provide support to Miroslav Lajčák’s work as the EU’s Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues.
NordenBladet — On 30 November 2021, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) elected Finland to chair the organisation in 2025. The year 2025 will mark the 50 anniversary the Helsinki Final Act adopted at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.The upcoming OSCE Chairmanship is a concrete recognition of Finland’s work for and commitment to the promotion of peace and stability in Europe. During its Chairmanship, Finland wants to strengthen the OSCE’s activities as a European security organisation and to promote dialogue and cooperation in the spirit of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe organised in Helsinki. Finland chaired the OSCE previously in 2008.
NordenBladet — How will climate change and the green transition affect working life and the labour market? What skills will employees need in the future? Finland has drawn attention to the future of work during its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This topic was examined from the perspective of climate change at a conference held in Helsinki on 30 November 2021.The participants included researchers, public officials and representatives of labour market organisations and businesses. Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, Research Professor Tuomo Alasoini from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Head of Unit John Hurley from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), and Senior Skills and Employability Specialist Olga Strietska-Ilina from the ILO spoke at the event.Minister of Employment Haatainen: A green transition requires upskilling, training and guidanceA green transition will support structural adjustment of the economy and help to build a carbon-neutral welfare society. In the pursuit of carbon neutrality, the economy will be supported by developing green technology, circular economy and sustainable industries, for example. The aim is to make this transition fair so that climate change mitigation and adaptation will offer new kinds of work and opportunities to build more sustainable business.New innovations and work require new skills. Minister of Employment Haatainen emphasised the importance of continuous learning in her speech. Employers, employees and society share the responsibility for updating the skills created by the green transition in the labour market.“All our citizens need to be equipped with skills and competences that help them thrive in the green transition. Continuous, lifelong learning is indeed a right, but also a necessity,” Haatainen said.As an example from Finland, Haatainen mentioned the reform of continuous learning, which is included in the Government Programme. It has been prepared in cooperation between parliamentary parties and stakeholders.Measures to ensure a fair and just transitionThe participants at the event’s panel discussion shared practical examples of how climate change has already shaped work. The panellists emphasised the importance of continuous learning and inclusiveness. Most of the funding for education is allocated to young people, but it is important to keep those already working involved in the change too.Two current projects were also presented at the conference. A project by the Nordic and German trade unions aims to ensure a just transition to a carbon neutral society. The project of the Nordic Council of Ministers focuses on the impacts of the green transition from the perspective of vulnerable groups, in particular.At the end of the event, the European Commission’s recent plans to ensure a fair transition were discussed. In December, the Commission will publish a recommendation to address the social and working life aspects of climate change. It is the EU’s objective to be climate neutral by 2050.
NordenBladet — Are you planning to travel abroad? The Foreign Ministry’s Consular Services want to remind travellers of the importance of a passport. This letter gives tips on what to do if you lose your passport during your journey.Dear recipient,Remember that a passport is an extremely important document for you during your travels. You must always have it with you and make sure it is up to date. As a passport holder, you are allowed to move from one place to another and prove your identity. This may seem even too obvious. The 24/7 Service Centre of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is daily contacted by many travellers who happen to realise that their passport has expired or that they have lost it somewhere. When on holiday, you should be able to use your time for recreation. It is important to plan and find out about matters in advance to make sure that your holiday proceeds as planned. Before travelling, check the validity of your passport. Take a photograph of the passport’s personal data page on your mobile phone and send it to your own email. Before travelling, always visit the website of the local Finnish mission in your country of destination to check the rules concerning travel documents and entry into the country. A valid passport for the duration of the journey is not always sufficient. In some countries, the authorities require that the passport remains valid for several months after the journey. If you are a multiple national and leaving a country, local authorities may require that you present your second passport, too.
