The President of the Republic Alexander Stubb paid official visits to Jordan and Egypt between 19 and 22 April 2026.
President Stubb’s visit to Jordan began on Sunday 19 April in Amman, the capital of Jordan, by a meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II. The President also met Prime Minister of Jordan Jafar Hassan, President of the Senate of Jordan Faisal al-Fayez, and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Jordan Mazen al-Qadi.
The aims of the visit included finding out about dynamics in the Middle East region and efforts to promote peace. President Stubb praised His Majesty the King for Jordan’s active role as a peace mediator.
“This visit intensifies the close bilateral relationship between Finland and Jordan. Jordan is constantly seeking solutions to conflicts in the region,” said the President.
According to President Stubb, Finland and Jordan are strong advocates of the multilateral system and rules-based order.
“The world needs those who support the rule-based order. Finland and Jordan are working together to this end,” President Stubb said.
On Monday, 20 April, the President and His Majesty the King visited a training centre of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army. President Stubb noted that Finland and Jordan understand the importance of preparedness.
On this visit to Jordan, the President’s party included Pihla Keto-Huovinen, Member of Parliament and Chair of Political Parties of Finland for Democracy (Demo Finland).
Two-day visit to Egypt
President Stubb met President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday, 21 April 2026. Photo: Emmi Syrjäniemi/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
On Tuesday 21 April, President Stubb continued his journey to Egypt. He started his visit by meeting President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo.
In addition to bilateral relations between Finland and Egypt, the Presidents discussed the situation in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East as well as Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine.
To conclude the meeting, the Presidents held a joint press conference. President Stubb said that Egypt plays an important part in the region.
“The Middle East has a key role in today’s new world. Economic and demographic factors are on your side. Your historical position in the region enhances your influence,” President Stubb said.
The Presidents noted that Finland and Egypt can expand their cooperation, especially in the fields of trade and education. As Egypt is Finland’s largest export country in Africa and the Middle East, the President’s delegation included representatives of 19 Finnish companies. In the afternoon, President Stubb and the delegation took part in a Finland-Egypt business forum, where the President spoke about the outlook of geopolitics and the economy. He stressed the importance of exchanging expertise and having joint development projects as well as highlighted sectors in which Finland has strong expertise, including telecommunications, information technology, digital transformation, renewable energy and health care.
The President’s programme also included meetings with Prime Minister of Egypt Moustafa Madbouly as well as the Grand Imam of al Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb and Pope of Alexandria Tawadros II. At these meetings, the President learned more about the regional operating environment in Egypt and the role of religions in society.
On Wednesday, 22 April, the President addressed the permanent representatives of the Arab League at its headquarters in Cairo. In his speech, President Stubb stressed the importance of cooperation between Europe and the Middle East countries. The President said that the geopolitical situation in both Europe and the Middle East challenges countries and regions to take care of their security and to seek new partnerships.
On his visit, the President also delivered lectures at local universities. He visited the University of Jordan in Amman and the American University in Cairo.
“I often visit universities on my trips. It is important to hear what students think and have discussions with them. At university, young people are learning to think independently and to challenge current truths constructively. I also learn something new from them every time,” the President said.
