Government of Finland

09/02/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/02/2025 04:54

Political State Secretary Rajala to visit Australia and New Zealand

Political State Secretary Rajala to visit Australia and New Zealand

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Publication date 2.9.2025 13.48 | Published in English on 2.9.2025 at 13.50
Type:Press release

Political State Secretary Pasi Rajala will make a working visit to Canberra and Wellington from 3 to 9 September.

The aim of the visit is to deepen cooperation with Australia and New Zealand across key areas, including foreign and security policy, trade, critical technologies and minerals, defence cooperation, and dual-use items. Another goal is to enhance high-level political dialogue and contacts. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government has set an objective to further relations with like-minded partners as part of Finland's strategic response to global power competition.

"At this particularly turbulent period in global politics, it is essential to know who your friends are. Australia, New Zealand and Finland share a strong commitment to democracy and international law. This a solid foundation for deeper collaboration", Pasi Rajala says.

During the visit, State Secretary Rajala is scheduled to meet with Australia's Ministers for Resources and Defence Industry, and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand's Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as other senior officials, policymakers, academics, and media representatives. In New Zealand, he will also deliver a speech at Victoria University of Wellington.

Rajala is Political State Secretary to Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen and Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.

Inquiries

  • Mr Jari Sinkari, Director General, Department for Asia and Oceania, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, tel. +358 295 350 083

  • Ambassador Arto Haapea, Embassy of Finland in Canberra, tel. +61 262 733 800

  • The email addresses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are in the format [email protected]
Australia New Zealand foreign and security policy
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