Secretary-General of ICC Finland to QNA: HH the Amir's Visit Inaugurates New Phase of Bilateral Co-operation

The Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce in the Republic of Finland (ICC Finland) Paivi Pohjanheimo confirmed that the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the Republic of Finland marks the beginning of a new phase of co-operation between the two countries, particularly in the fields of business, trade, and investment, in addition to its significance for exploring available opportunities and enhancing the existing economic relations between the two nations.In an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), she said that the visit of His Highness the Amir helps create important platforms for companies from both sides, by establishing connections and networks that will enhance the investment of numerous joint economic opportunities.She noted that Finland has a clear understanding of Qatar National Vision 2030 and expressed her country's readiness to share its expertise in this context and contribute to working towards a carbon-neutral economy in line with this vision.She highlighted the many opportunities for investment between the two countries across various sectors, including technology and innovation, renewable energy and sustainability, education and scientific research, health technology and care, life sciences, infrastructure, tourism, and more. She emphasised the importance of the visit in enhancing mutual understanding of business opportunities between the two countries.Regarding the competitive advantages of the Finnish economy, she said that Finland has recently been ranked among the best investment environments in the world in international comparisons, due to its open business and governmental practices, the competitive advantage of its workforce, and the country's leading position in digital talents in Europe, particularly in key information technology services, engineering, health technology, and other fields. Additionally, Finland is renowned internationally for its innovative culture.She added that Finland is a leader in innovation, which is particularly interesting for Qatari investors. Additionally, Finland offers reliable infrastructure and carbon-free energy, with around 90% of the available electricity being carbon-free.Regarding attractive economic opportunities for Qatari private investment in the Finnish market in the future, she said that there are extensive opportunities for future investments, especially in sectors such as information and communications technology, energy, health technology, real estate, and tourism. She noted the potential for investment in Finland's innovation and emerging technology platforms, which are not only undergoing a green transition but also experiencing a comprehensive digital transformation.She explained that there are many attractive advantages for Qatari partners to collaborate on implementing Qatar National Vision 2030 and other diverse projects and plans. She emphasised the importance of establishing a collaborative network at the levels of business, education, academic research, development, and innovation between the two countries.She pointed out that there are six Finnish companies that have invested in Qatar in recent years, with Finnish companies' sales in Qatar reaching approximately $400mn, most of which is in commercial services.She noted that Finnish expertise in clean energy aligns with Qatars goals and vision for diversifying its energy economy, providing an opportunity for Finnish companies specialising in this field to operate in Qatar in the future. She commended Qatar's efforts to reduce carbon emissions in this regard.She also pointed out the potential to enhance joint cooperation in education, noting that increased collaboration with Qatari universities and research centres could improve educational outcomes in both Qatar and Finland. She highlighted the possibility of adapting the Finnish vocational education model to meet Qatari requirements in this context.