taand.net- Finland will shut down its embassies in Afghanistan Pakistan and Myanmar in 2026 due to “operational and strategic” considerations, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced on Friday.
In an official statement, Valtonen said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has begun formal preparations to close the embassies in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon. She noted that final decisions on such closures are issued by decree of Finland’s president.
According to the minister, the closures are driven by changing political conditions in the respective countries as well as their “weak commercial and economic ties” with Finland. She added that the Foreign Ministry continually reviews whether Finland’s network of diplomatic missions aligns with both current and future national needs.
“We are developing Finland’s diplomatic mission network with determination to meet future challenges,” Valtonen said. “Our operating environment is changing rapidly, and the adjustments we are making will help strengthen Finland’s competitiveness and ensure our foreign relations are managed in line with our priorities.”
Valtonen explained that a strategic review of Finland’s global diplomatic network was launched earlier this year, taking into account the country’s foreign and security policy interests, along with the needs of Team Finland’s export-promotion efforts.
As part of this restructuring, Finland expanded its presence in the United States — one of its key export markets — by opening a consulate general in Houston this year. The ministry is also preparing to open new commercial offices in 2026 in several locations where Business Finland previously operated.
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