Finnish Ambassador to Al-Qabas: Expected partnerships with Kuwait in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
Mai Al-Sakri – Jarno Sierala, Finland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Secretary for International Trade, will begin an official visit to Kuwait tomorrow (Saturday) with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and opening new avenues for cooperation in trade, investment, education, security, defense, and innovation. Sierala will be accompanied by representatives from the Finnish National Agency for Education, the Finnish Industrial Investment Company (Tesi), and the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK). The delegation will also include representatives from Finnish companies specializing in comprehensive security and resilience, including Nokia, Patria, ReOrbit, Temet, Verona Shelters, and Modirum Platforms, signaling the broad scope of cooperation Helsinki seeks to develop with Kuwait across technology, defense, telecommunications, space, infrastructure, digital security, and civil protection.
Johanna Mustonen, Finland’s non-resident ambassador to Kuwait, told Al-Qabas in an exclusive interview that the visit represents an opportunity to continue strengthening Kuwaiti-Finnish relations and to explore tangible cooperation opportunities aligned with the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035, particularly in human capital development, resilience, innovation, and economic diversification. She highlighted the offer to share Finnish expertise in “comprehensive security,” infrastructure, telecommunications, and civil protection.
Mustonen emphasized that education will be a key pillar of the discussions, praising Kuwait Vision 2035’s focus on “creative human capital” and its associated initiatives to reform and develop the education system. She added that this direction provides a suitable foundation for deepening cooperation between Kuwait and Finland in the education sector, noting that Finland’s experience in investing in education was a fundamental part of its transformation into a knowledge-based economy.
Mustonen pointed to a wide scope for enhancing links between Kuwaiti and Finnish universities through student and faculty exchanges, teacher training, and academic partnerships, as well as leveraging the Erasmus+ program to provide opportunities for cooperation and mobility among eligible educational institutions in Kuwait, Finland, and across Europe. She stated that new opportunities are emerging in areas such as artificial intelligence, educational technology, digital skills, and lifelong learning, adding that Finland’s experience in combining technological innovation with high-quality education provides a strong foundation for future cooperation with Kuwait.
On the investment front, the Finnish ambassador affirmed that Kuwait and Finland share a strong commitment to fostering innovation, sustainable economic growth, and private sector development. She said that Kuwait’s progress in implementing its economic diversification agenda under Kuwait Vision 2035 creates opportunities for Finnish companies and institutions to contribute their expertise across multiple fields. She also highlighted the strengthening of dialogue on investment cooperation and the exploration of new partnerships between Kuwaiti and Finnish investors.
