Speech by President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb at the state banquet at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki in honour of President of the Republic of Kenya[...]

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Your Excellency, President Ruto,
Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi,
Cabinet Secretaries,
Rachel and Suzanne,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Karibuni Finland!

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Helsinki after our unforgettable visit to Kenya last year. These exchanges are more than diplomatic protocol - they are proof of a close, ambitious, and future-oriented partnership between our two nations.

In many ways, our countries are different. Our climate, geographical location, size and history put us in very different categories.

But we also share a great deal. We stand before the same challenges. How to educate our youth? How to make use of modern technologies? How to mitigate and adapt to climate change?

We both stand firmly for a rules-based international order. In an era of multipolar competition, we choose multilateral cooperation. We believe in dialogue.

***

Our visit to Nairobi last year was full of memorable moments. Let me highlight three.

First, meeting young people. Witnessing our joint efforts for job creation and education was profoundly inspiring. In both our countries, education is a pathway to a better future, no matter which background you come from. Placing education at the heart of our cooperation is an investment for in the future we want to build.

Second, experiencing the dynamism of the UN Campus in Nairobi. This is the direction the UN should take. Decision-making and implementation must be anchored in the Global South. Kenya plays a pivotal role in defending and advancing multilateralism, and we strongly support Nairobi's evolution as a true UN capital.

And third: morning run in the Karura forest, enjoying the amazing greenery and nature in the heart of your capital. We both know how to appreciate our forests and our nature. And we share an interest in protecting them.

***

Visiting the forest also opened up new perspectives to me on Finnish art from our Golden Age of national romanticism. Our foremost national painter, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, was deeply inspired by Kenya and paid tribute to your country through his paintings.

In 1909 Gallen-Kallela traveled to Kenya. In those days the journey was long and arduous, but he made it. And he was transformed by what he saw.

While in Kenya he wrote: "What joy, what light, what chirping and birds singing." "This is where all the artists in the world should be! I walk around in awe of the sheer beauty".

Gallen-Kallela ended up painting about 150 works in Kenya, and the time he spent there shaped his later work. For me, it was moving to walk where he walked and feel the same sense of wonder.

For your flight back home, we will give you a book about these mesmerizing paintings.

***

Part of my Karura forest experience was being surrounded by beauty. The other part was the running. It was a humbling experience. Kenyans, of course, are the best in the world, and I did have a bit of trouble keeping up with my company.

Kenyan athletes from Eliud Kipchoge to Vivian Cheruiyot, Samuel Kamau Wanjiru, Sabastian Sawe and many others, have redefined what human endurance means. The new world record time, under two hours, set by Sawe, leaves us all breathless. Your athletes embody a culture of resilience, discipline, and collective purpose.

Some of this culture has found a home in Finland. Today, we are joined by two excellent Finnish runners of Kenyan origin, Francis Kirwa and Wilson Kirwa. They have been mentored in not just running, but also in the Finnish way of life, by wonderful Finnish coaches, some of whom are also here today. And we are building our own tradition. Aliisa Vainio is a name Kenyans should keep an eye on.

***

For Finland, Kenya is a key partner bilaterally, regionally and globally.

At the bilateral level, we are strengthening our economic ties. I am delighted that you, Mr President, are accompanied by a business delegation focused on technology, digitalization and sustainability.

Nairobi is at the forefront of Africa's tech-revolution. In terms of everyday application of technologies, Europe has a lot to learn from the "Silicon Savannah". Through cooperation in education and technology, we are future-proofing our countries and economies together.

At the regional level, we are committed to deepening Kenya's partnership with the EU, and reinforcing the EU-African Union framework. This is the time for Europe and Africa to come together. We can set an example by building a partnership that is dynamic, predictable and mutually beneficial. A partnership that strengthens the rules-based international order, rather than undermining it.

At the global level, we have much to do together. We need to join forces in bringing climate change back to the global agenda. We are already working side by side on peace mediation. I am particularly pleased that we had the chance to highlight the role of the UN this afternoon during the roundtable The Promise of Peace. We share a vision of a UN that is stronger and reflects the realities of today, not those of the 1950s. Clearly, the African continent must have a stronger voice, starting with two permanent seats in the Security Council.

***

Dear Friends,

Diplomacy is not a 100-meter sprint. It's a marathon. It requires patience, ambition, long-term work, endurance, resilience and above all - clear goals.

We are setting our goals high: bilaterally, regionally and globally. Today, we'll celebrate. Tomorrow, we continue the work.

Mgeni siku ya kwanza na ya pili Karibu, mgeni siku ya tatu mpe jembe. You're welcome for the first and the second day, on the third you might be given work

Once again: welcome to Finland. Karibu Finland!