President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Finnish President Alexander Stubb to Abu Dhabi for an official visit over the weekend, as both leaders explored opportunities to deepen cooperation across political, economic, technological, and multilateral sectors.
The visit comes ahead of the 50th anniversary of UAE–Finland diplomatic relations in February 2025.
The two leaders discussed expanding collaboration in renewable energy, the green transition, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, advanced technology, education, space, and sustainable development.
They highlighted the steady growth of trade and investment between the two countries and stressed the importance of continued cooperation between government institutions and the private sector, particularly in emerging technologies, sustainable finance, clean energy, and the circular economy.
Both leaders also commended joint efforts by organisations such as ATRC, EDGE, Nokia, Space42, Bluefors, ICEYE, and Business Finland in promoting research, innovation, and industrial partnerships.
Education cooperation remained a key focus, with the leaders noting partnerships between universities, digital learning initiatives, STEM programs, and teacher training. They also expressed readiness to pursue joint initiatives in Africa and other regions, focusing on renewable energy, digital education, and climate resilience.
The UAE and Finland also discussed cooperation in the space sector, combining Finland’s expertise in microsatellites and Earth-observation technology with the UAE’s growing space capabilities. ICEYE’s regional presence in Abu Dhabi was highlighted as a key enabler for future collaboration in environmental monitoring and disaster response.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of water security in climate action and cited the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, as a platform to advance global solutions. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, urging stronger support for women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict prevention through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
Regional and international issues were also discussed, including support for a two-state solution for Palestine, concerns over extremism, Iran-UAE territorial disputes, the conflict in Sudan, and efforts toward peace in Ukraine. The Finnish President commended the UAE’s role in facilitating humanitarian assistance and prisoner exchanges in Ukraine.
The visit concluded with both leaders pledging to strengthen UAE-Finland cooperation and ensure timely implementation of initiatives through existing bilateral mechanisms.
