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Abu Dhabi: Finnish Ambassador to UAE Matti Lassila, said the Finnish exports to the UAE stood at Dh4.6 billion last year. They surged over the recent years, particularly in regard to the communication equipment and paper products.
He said that the UAE wise leadership managed to attain economic prosperity and build a strong and stable country based on the heritage and culture, adding that his country was keen to bolster friendly relations and cooperation with the UAE in economic, political, educational, investment, tourist and industrial fields.
Lassila underlined that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is one of the notable countries, which adopts free economy that leads to fast growth in all fields.
Lassila disclosed that over 40 Finnish industrial and contracting companies currently operate in the UAE with huge capitals, pointing out that the new projects in Abu Dhabi avails great opportunity to increase the Finnish investments in the emirate.
"The UAE is the third major Finnish export destination outside the European Union countries. The Finnish exports to the UAE are mainly paper and communication equipment," he said, adding that his country is willing to cooperate with the UAE in developing the nuclear energy plants for civil purposes, as Finland is advanced in this field for years.
Mutual care
Lassila noted that the relations between the two countries are excellent and growing steadily, indicating that "there is mutual care to boost them and benefit from potentials of each country". He cited the number of Finnish tourists, businessmen and investors in the UAE. About 10,000 Finnish tourists visited the UAE last year. The number of Finnish tourists may increase this year.
He reiterated the need for promoting tourism in both countries to activate it, particularly for business community, urging the UAE tourist firms to encourage the UAE nationals to spend their holidays in Finland, which is highly developed, enjoys marvellous natural landscape and stability.
Lassila called for spurring more Finnish companies interested to invest in Abu Dhabi through provision of required facilities to make the Finnish investments successful, citing such facilities as, reducing operation cost and retaining competitive merit of Abu Dhabi to woo more Finnish investors.
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