Amid efforts to enhance international co-operation and expand bilateral relations, Qatar and Finland stand on the threshold of a new phase of prosperity and fruitful collaboration through their commitment to develop a strong partnership that contributes to economic growth and expand trade activities, reflecting a common will to achieve promising future aspirations for both countries.

The visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Helsinki is expected to constitute an important and historic turning point in the course of Qatari-Finnish relations toward strengthening the strategic dimension between the two countries in light of the rapid development of their relations in various aspects of co-operation over the past years, paving the way for a new phase of fruitful bilateral co-operation.

Qatari-Finnish relations have always been described as distinguished and growing, with the leaderships of both countries making great efforts to advance these relations to the level they aspire to through a series of mutual visits and meetings, which demonstrates Doha and Helsinki’s commitment to developing co-operation between them, and the common desire to enhance effective diplomatic communication and deepen bilateral relations in various fields.

On Nov 30, 2019, Qatar and Finland signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, and the first round of political consultations was then held in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, and included many aspects of co-operation between the two countries.

In May 2024, the Qatari-Finnish sides held the second round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, during which they reviewed co-operation relations and ways to support and strengthen them, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In October 2016, Qatari-Finnish relations witnessed significant economic development across various fields. The Finnish capital welcomed the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha, marking the inauguration of its new daily flights connecting Helsinki to more than 150 global destinations within Qatar Airways’ global network.

At that time, Qatar Airways also announced a codeshare agreement with Finnair, expanding its presence in the Baltic and Nordic countries while simultaneously enhancing Finnair’s network in the Middle East and the world.

Regarding the volume of bilateral trade exchange, it grew by 4% in 2021, reaching about QR395mn compared to QR381mn in 2020 and about QR314mn in the first nine months of 2022.

In turn, Finnish officials praised the role played by Qatar in promoting the gas industry globally and in providing clean energy to consumers around the world.

In this context, Finland’s Minister of Development Co-operation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari said that renewable energy is a fertile field for enhancing bilateral co-operation, especially with the private sector, just as tourism and other fields are growing in both countries.

Sectors such as telecommunications, energy, navigation, aviation, and tourism represent promising investment opportunities in Finland. Forests are an important economic resource in the country, as they are a source of wood, paper, and chemical industries. Wood plays a significant role in Finnish exports. Agriculture is prevalent in the southern region, where wheat and beets are grown. Finland has excellent mineral resources, including copper, sulphur, iron, nickel, and zinc, where the Finnish industry rose after World War II.

To enhance the exploration of investment opportunities available in both countries, the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) met with Skinnari, who visited Doha to attend the official opening of the embassy of Finland in February 2023.

During the meeting, Skinnari called on Qatari businessmen to invest in Finland, pointing to many promising investment opportunities in various sectors, such as oil and gas, advanced technology, smart cities, maritime industries, and other fields.

He also pointed to the great co-operation in the air transport field between Qatar Airways and its Finnish counterpart, which enhances Doha’s position as a regional air hub between the region’s countries and the Scandinavian countries.

In turn, HE QBA Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani said the bilateral relations, especially in the commercial fields, indicating that the Qatari private sector is interested in enhancing co-operation with its Finnish counterpart, specifically in fields that rely on advanced technology, pointing out that there is a desire among Qatari businessman to visit Finland and learn about direct investment opportunities.

According to the available economic indicators, the diverse and distinguished investment areas in Qatar and Finland constitute real opportunities for the exchange of interests in many areas ranging from green technology (environmentally friendly) to transition models to innovative solutions and just as the investment climate in Qatar opens up horizons for Finland to enter the Gulf market, the Finnish market represents and enjoys a stable regulatory environment that helps Qatari businessman to launch projects there and facilitates the access of Qatari products to European markets.

Thanks to the growing Qatari-finish relations at various levels, the transition to a new and significant stage in bilateral and economic co-operation is evident and reinforced by the strength of the bilateral relations.