- Finland to close embassies in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026.
- Finnish minister says preparations begin to shut embassies.
- Says decision influenced by weak commercial and economic ties.
Finland has decided to close its embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar during 2026 for “operational and strategic” reasons, said Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.
The Finnish minister, in a statement issued on Friday, said: “The ministry for foreign affairs has begun preparations to close the Finnish embassies in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon.”
She said: “Decisions on closures are made by decree of the president of the republic.”
The foreign minister clarified that the embassies would be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are influenced by changes in the political situations of the countries and the “weak commercial and economic relations” with Finland.
She further said that the ministry regularly reviews the adequacy of Finland’s diplomatic mission network to current and future needs.
“We are developing Finland’s diplomatic mission network with determination to meet future challenges. Our operating environment is currently changing rapidly. The changes we are making will support the building of a stronger and more competitive Finland and the management of Finland’s foreign relations in line with our priorities,” she added.
During the current year, she said they launched a strategic review of the diplomatic mission network, which takes into account, among other things, Finland’s foreign and security policy interests and the needs of Team Finland’s export promotion activities.
In the first phase, Valtonen said the ministry strengthened its presence in the United States — a key export market for Finland — by establishing a consulate general in Houston this year. The ministry is currently preparing to open commercial offices in 2026 in some locations where Business Finland offices were previously located, she added.
