VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (Chatnewstv.com) — Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen arrived in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Wednesday to attend the annual Nordic–African Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (NAFM), where she plans to focus on strengthening political and economic cooperation between the two regions.
The NAFM, held from October 2–3, is set to address three broad themes: multilateral cooperation, peace and security, and trade and investments.
Minister Valtonen emphasized the shared goals and mutual benefits of the partnership, noting that stability in Africa has implications for European security.
“We aim to increase political and economic cooperation and trade and investments between the Nordic and African countries,” Valtonen said in a statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. “We share a common goal to foster stability, prosperity, peace, and security in Africa, because they have an impact for the future and security of both Africa and Europe.”
Valtonen added that the Nordic-African partnership provides a crucial platform for Finland to promote international law and multilateral cooperation, which is particularly important as Finland campaigns for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2029–2030 term.
The Finnish delegation includes a business representative and a youth delegate, who will participate in a youth panel organized by Zimbabwe in connection with the meeting.
In addition to the main conference sessions, Valtonen is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with several African foreign ministers.
The NAFM was last held in Copenhagen in 2024 and in Algiers in 2023.
