Prime Minister Marin and other ministers to attend Nordic meetings
Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend the 73rd Session of the Nordic Council and the meeting of Nordic Prime Ministers in Copenhagen on Wednesday 3 November. This year, Finland holds the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which is the official body for intergovernmental Nordic cooperation.
In Copenhagen, Prime Minister Marin will chair the meeting of Nordic Prime Ministers, which will also be attended by the heads of state or government of the autonomous regions, i.e. the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. The main theme of the meeting will be Nordic cooperation on security of supply and preparedness, and the discussions will focus more specifically on Nordic energy security and on resilience and preparedness for crises. The initiative to deepen Nordic cooperation on security of supply and preparedness is a key theme of Finland’s Presidency. According to the shared vision for Nordic cooperation adopted in 2019, the Nordic countries aim to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world in 2030.
In connection with the 73rd Session of the Nordic Council, the Prime Ministers and Members of Parliament will hold a summit to discuss what the Nordic countries can learn from the COVID-19 crisis and how the region can strengthen its cooperation in the future. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will also speak to the Nordic Council. After this, the Council will have a discussion on defence.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will chair the Nordic Foreign Ministers’ (N5) meeting on Tuesday 2 November. Items on the agenda for the meeting include Afghanistan and topical UN and OSCE matters. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will also speak about Nordic foreign and security policy at the Nordic Council plenary session.
Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist will chair the meeting of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation, which will also take place on Tuesday 2 November. At their meeting, the Ministers for Nordic Cooperation will discuss topics including the budget of the Nordic Council of Ministers for 2022 and the recommendations by rapporteur Jan-Erik Enestam on closer Nordic cooperation in times of crisis. The Ministers for Nordic Cooperation will also meet with the Presidium of the Nordic Council and take part in question time at the plenary session. In addition, Minister Blomqvist will give a report to the Nordic Council on behalf of Ministers for Nordic Cooperation and the Ministers for Gender Equality. On Wednesday 3 November, Minister Blomqvist will participate in a panel discussion at an event for Nordic civil society organisations.
Minister of the Environment and Climate change Krista Mikkonen will chair the meeting of Nordic Ministers of the Environment and Climate Change on Wednesday 3 November. The Ministers will discuss how the Nordic countries can work together to advance the outcomes of the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Other topics on the agenda will be young people’s participation in global environmental and climate work and how the Nordic countries are supporting it. The Ministers of the Environment will also have a joint meeting with the Nordic Council’s Expert Group on Sustainable Development.
Minister of Science and Culture Antti Kurvinen will chair the meeting of Nordic Ministers of Culture on 3 November. The main themes of the meeting will include culture and sustainable development, and the impact of international technology giants on democratic debate and professional news media.
The Nordic Council’s prizes for literature, children and young people’s literature, music, film and the environment will be awarded at a gala on Tuesday 2 November at 21.00 Finnish time. The gala will be streamed live on the websites of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, among other channels.
Follow the meetings on social media using the hashtags #nrpol, #nrsession and #norden2021.
Inquiries:
Prime Minister: Lauri Voionmaa, Special Adviser (International Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 306 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU and International Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office
Minister for Foreign Affairs: Christina Lehtinen, Counsellor, tel. +358 295 351 787
Minister for Nordic Cooperation: Carolina Nordling, Special Adviser, tel. +358 295 150 278 and Johan Schalin, Chief of the Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, tel. +358 295 351 781
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change: Antti Heikkinen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 348 1406 and Bo Storrank, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 50 514 2283.
Minister of Science and Culture: Eeva Kärkkäinen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 40 149 2201 and Riitta Heinämaa, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Cultural Affairs, tel. +358 50 310 3419.