New york: Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo affirmed his country’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Baghdad and its readiness to provide technical support and expertise.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a statement by the Ministry of Planning stated that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohammed Ali Tamim, met today, Monday, with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Iraq’s participation in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2025, held in New York.

During the meeting, according to the statement, they discussed ways to strengthen relations between Iraq and Finland, which would contribute to expanding areas of joint cooperation, particularly in the development, economic, educational, and technological sectors, as well as exchanging expertise in the field of sustainable development and addressing current global challenges, including climate change and energy security.

During the meeting, the Minister affirmed Iraq’s desire to enhance cooperation with Finland and benefit from its advanced experiences, particularly in the areas of strategic planning, vocational education, digital transformation, and human capacity building. He noted that Iraq looks forward to qualitative partnerships that align with its development aspirations under Vision 2030.

For his part, the Finnish Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for relations with Iraq, emphasizing Finland’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Baghdad and its willingness to provide technical support and expertise, opening new horizons for bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest.

The meeting was attended by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Planning, Maher Hammad Johan, and members of the Iraqi delegation participating in the forum, which includes a number of directors general at the Ministry of Planning, experts, and professors specializing in sustainable development affairs.