Opening speech by Permanent State Secretary Jukka Salovaara at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission

Opening speech by Permanent State Secretary Jukka Salovaara at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission

Dear colleagues, distinguished ambassadors,

Welcome to the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission. It is of great value that we have this opportunity again to meet face to face and to take a look at the upcoming year.

I would like to extend my warmest thanks to you all for your excellent work during the past year.

The international system is undergoing a major change, which is characterised by unpredictability and growing risks. At the same time, Finland is highly dependent on international developments and the opportunities and threats they create. Geopolitics has a strong presence. Diplomacy is necessary.

Exerting influence in the field is at the heart of your work. Reports by the Heads of Mission are also particularly important as they outline the significance of matters from Finland's perspective. The situation picture and analysis on international developments in Finland are based on your work.

We welcomed the new government a year ago. We got a quick start and have achieved a lot during the year, I must say. The outlined proposals of the Government Programme concerning the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are coming along well. They have been adopted and are now being implemented.

We completed two major reports in the summer. The Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy will set the pace for the foreign policy of a new era.

The Report on International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation is the first of its kind. It outlines ways to bring Finland's development policy closer together with economic relations.

We will hear more about these topics in the speeches by the ministers.

The reform of the Foreign Service, which is based on the Government Programme, has proceeded to the implementation phase.

The new organisation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has been launched. The reform will strengthen the management system and the comprehensive governance of external relations. It will also improve our ability to address new foreign policy challenges, such as technology. Strong teamwork is important.

A decision on the reform of export promotion in accordance with the Government Programme was reached this summer. Business Finland's foreign activities will be merged with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This reform seeks to improve the efficiency of export promotion by bringing export promotion activities under the same roof and unified management. It is more rational from the Government's point of view to have a coherent international network. Export promotion plays a significant role in Finland's search for stronger growth.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs bears the overall responsibility for export promotion, and it is important that this reform work succeed. At the same time, I would like to say to Business Finland's experts that they are very welcome to the new system and that they will have a place in it. It is also important to keep in mind that even after the reform the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will not promote exports alone, but in close cooperation with business and industry and other partners. Export promotion is at the core of the missions' work.

Finland's Nato membership has started off well and the essential agreements required for the membership have been completed, such as the Status of Forces Agreement on the legal status of troops. Negotiations on the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States have been finished and the agreement has been adopted. Difficult and time-consuming matters have been concluded.

On the other hand, we received very negative publicity in the spring due to the events at the Embassy in Ottawa. Even one case of harassment is too many.

Well-being at work and good treatment of all colleagues is important, and the management pays particular attention to it. We have strong processes to intervene in problem situations. And we will always intervene. Nobody should have any doubt about this.

At the same time, surveys show that wellbeing at work is at a good level at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The managerial skills of immediate supervisors are particularly valued. But there is always room for improvement. Wellbeing at work concerns all of us.

There is no reason to sugar-coat the economic reality. The outlook for general government finances is bleak. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has to save too. But these adjustment measures are in our own hands. And the choices will be made in the spirit of ensuring that the network of diplomatic missions functions well. We are at our best out in the field.

Dear colleagues,

As is customary, we will now remember the ambassadors who died during the year: Kai Granholm, Pekka J. Korvenheimo, Jukka Leino and Osmo Väinölä.

I ask you to stand up and commemorate their life's work with a moment of silence.

Thank you.

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