President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will undertake separate trips to South Africa in the coming days. Stubb will be in South Africa on Saturday and Sunday, with a later visit by Orpo. Stubb is set to attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg at the invitation of his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and will be accompanied by Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto. Before the conference, Stubb plans to meet the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, on Friday. He will also engage with foreign policy experts and students, and speak at a local university. A Finnish business delegation accompanying Stubb includes companies such as Kone, Nokia, Planmeca, Konecranes, Patria, ICEYE, and Wärtsilä. Stubb’s predecessor, Sauli Niinistö, met Ramaphosa in Pretoria in 2023, followed by a visit to Johannesburg and neighboring Namibia. Next Wednesday, Orpo is scheduled to arrive in South Africa for a two-day trade mission, leading a delegation that includes representatives from Finnish organizations, educational institutions, start-ups, and major firms such as Kemira, Metso, Nokia, Sandvik, and Wärtsilä—the same companies that accompanied Stubb on his UAE visit. Finland views South Africa as a key trading partner in Africa, with main exports including machinery and forest, chemical, and mining-related products. Prior to the South African visit, Orpo will attend the EU–AU Summit in Luanda, Angola, marking the 25th anniversary of EU–AU relations, with a focus on trade, investments, and cooperation on peace and security.
“Stubb will attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg at the invitation of Cyril Ramaphosa.”
“Orpo will lead a delegation including representatives from various Finnish organisations, educational institutions and start-ups as well as major firms such as Kemira, Metso, Nokia, Sandvik and Wärtsilä.”
Author’s summary: Finland’s leaders pursue intensified Africa-facing engagement with South Africa as a strategic trade and investment corridor, pairing high-level diplomacy with business delegation activities and EU–AU collaboration.