The External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India, Dr S Jaishankar made an official visit to Finland from 19-21 September, 2019. It was his first visit to Finland, after assuming charge as EAM.
Key Points:
- He was received by Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland.
- He unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Helsinki, sculpted by Gautam Pal. It was gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Government of India to the Government of Finland to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji.
- He also met the Indian community in Finland; Visited the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) and delivered a speech on “India and the World – Priorities of Indian Foreign Policy”.
Bilateral meetings
i. EAM met Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and held talks with them.
ii. He met his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto and reviewed bilateral relationships between the countries.
iii. He visited the Finnish Parliament and met First Deputy Speaker Tuula Haatainen and held discussions on gender equality and microfinance.
iv. He met the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament and held discussions on contemporary developments in Asia.
About Finland:
♦ Finland is the new president of the European Union Council.
♦ Capital: Helsinki
♦ Currency: Euro