ISLAMABAD: Finland will be shutting down its embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar next year, the Finnish foreign ministry said this week, citing “operational and strategic reasons.”
The ministry said it regularly reviews how well Finland’s network of missions abroad meets current and future needs and this year, it launched a strategic review that takes into account Finland’s foreign and security policy interests and the needs of Team Finland’s export promotion activities.
In the first stage, Finland strengthened its presence in a key export market in the United States by establishing a Consulate General in Houston this year. The ministry said it is currently preparing to open commercial offices in 2026 at some locations where Finland previously had a presence.
“The long-term development of the network of missions abroad also means that some missions will be closed.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026,” it said in a statement on this week.
“Decisions on closures are made by a decree of the President of the Republic. The embassies will be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are linked to changes in the countries’ political situation and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland.”
The aim is to concentrate resources on countries that are strategically important to Finland, according to the ministry.
“We will systematically develop Finland’s network of missions abroad to meet future challenges. Our operating environment is changing rapidly. The changes to be made will help us to build a stronger and more competitive
Finland and to manage Finland’s external relations in accordance with our priorities,” it quoted Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Valtonen as saying.
There was no immediate comment from Islamabad on the development.
The Finnish embassy in Islamabad was first established in 1989, which was reopened after a few years of suspension in 2022, according to the Pakistan foreign ministry.
Both countries regularly held Bilateral Political Consultations since 2014, with the fifth session held in November 2023 in Helsinki. Total trade in goods between Pakistan and Finland stood at approximately $82.5 million during fiscal year 23-24, with Pakistan’s exports to Finland recorded at $28.7 million and imports recorded at $53.7 million.
