UN Secretary-General to make official visit to Finland

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 18 May 2009

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife will make an official visit to Finland on 25-27 May 2009 at the invitation of President of the Republic Tarja Halonen. President Halonen will hold talks with Secretary-General Ban and will host a dinner in his honour at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 26 May.

President Halonen and Secretary-General Ban will discuss climate issues, the international financial and economic crisis, the UN's crisis management and peacekeeping operations and timely regional questions such as Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will also address Parliament and meet with Speaker Sauli Niinistö, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, former President Martti Ahtisaari and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen. The programme also includes a meeting with NGOs and a visit to the UNU-WIDER Institute.

This is Secretary-General Ban's first official visit to Finland in his present post. He has visited Finland in the past as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea during a state visit by the President of that country and in connection with the ASEM and EU-Korea summits in 2006.