Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland, H E Ville Skinnari
Doha: Qatar and Finland are eager to take bilateral ties to “the next level” and boost cooperation in areas that matter to both countries including setting up a business council, a senior Finnish minister has said.
Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland, H E Ville Skinnari, in an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, said Qatar and Finland seek to intensify cooperation in areas including trade, investment, tourism, education, technology, renewable energy, and others.
“It’s time to take our relations to the next level. I’m very happy to announce that we will establish a Qatar-Finland Business Council,” said Skinnari, adding that Qatar is a great partner and friend of Finland.
Skinnari is in Doha on a three-day official visit which coincides with the opening of the Finland embassy in Qatar.
“We look forward that Qatar will open the embassy in Helsinki,” he said, emphasising that having diplomatic missions in respective countries will help further enhance opportunities in different sectors.
“It’s so important for us to find trusted partners from this region. Qatar is a great partner…We like to explore the opportunities with Qatar. That’s why we have been very active recently and opening the embassy is so important,” said Skinnari.
He said Finland is expecting to make a comprehensive agenda based on mutual interest and expand its trade and business presence in Qatar through companies with different profiles.
“Many Finnish companies want to establish themselves here — some with big names like Nokia, Corner, and Finnair but also medium and small companies are looking for opportunities.”
Skinnari added that Qatar and Finland can work together and find solutions to major global challenges such as climate change and environmental issues.
“How we build sustainability for energy supplies throughout the world is one of the biggest challenges. Together, Qatar and Finland can provide a solution for that.
“Finland is a country of emerging technologies. We are an innovative country with globally leading companies. We want to tackle climate change. Our companies are working already in the field of maritime with Qatar within the field of oil and gas, LNG solutions for maritime logistics, and also for industrial processes.”
Finnish innovators are also seeking to establish their startups in Qatar and Skinnari said that about ten such companies are looking for investors and partners.
“Finland is also very keen to look at the system-level investments throughout the world with our technologies. For example, the world is having a huge food crisis. Together (with Qatar) we can find solutions. Finland is a country that produces fertilisers and we need to scale up for the world, Africa, the Middle East, and further.”
According to Skinnari, the ongoing strategic partnership between Qatar Airways and Finnair, which has opened new routes from Nordic capitals to Doha and vice versa, will help expand connectivity and support boosting the opportunities.
“Qatar Airways and Finnair have agreed to a deep collaboration and we have many daily flights from different Nordic destinations to Doha. Due to this, Doha and Helsinki serve as platforms and gateways for the whole world. It’s a great collaboration, and I’m so happy and honoured to see how our airlines work together,” he said.
Finland is also looking to develop people-to-people connections and attract more tourists from Qatar.
“We look for more people-to-people connections. The Finland school in Qatar has done great work in education. It’s a great example that how the Finnish people love to live and work here. So it’s a great example of Qatar being a real home for Finland and Finnish people.
“Qatar is a favourite holiday destination for many Finns,” Skinnari said, adding that 30 Scandinavian-based hotels in Doha are one major reason for attracting more people from Finland to Qatar.
“Finland is recognised as the happiest country in the world several times; we have favourable climate conditions for tourists and look to receive more people from here,” he added.
