Finnish ambitions for the African market

The “Finland Africa Strategy: towards a stronger political and economic partnership” is the stated ambition of the Helsinki authorities to conquer African markets by taking Morocco as a gateway. It will be about finding new outlets for Finnish companies in a win-win partnership.

As easily underlined by Pekka Hyvönen, Ambassador of Finland in Morocco, the Shereefian Kingdom occupies a place of choice in the relations between his country and the rest of the continent. As such, Morocco constitutes a gateway to the continent and a bridge between Africa and Europe, due to its geographical position but also through its diplomatic relations.

Enhance exchanges


Its entrepreneurial fabric and the quality of its human resources are also a strategic priority for Finland. In this regard, Helsinki has no shortage of arguments to seduce African countries through its new strategy, which was unveiled in the first half of June at a press conference in Rabat.

Finland’s new economic approach for the African market revolves around the green transition (de-carbonization, sustainable mobility), different solutions such as the digital economy, digitization …, not to mention the transfer of technology. Sectors in which Africa is in great need.

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The challenge is therefore to boost trade between Finland and African countries, including Morocco in the lead, because it must be recognized that the figures are insignificant given the potential of both parties.

For Morocco alone, in 2020, Finland exported nearly 142 million euros and imported only 22 million euros of products. While 40 Finnish companies are currently active in Morocco, no Moroccan company is yet established in Finland. Which explains everything compared to France, China, Italy, Great Britain, etc.

But Pekka Hyvönen already remains confident that Finland already has solid diplomatic and trade relations with Morocco with more potential to exploit not to mention that Morocco has always occupied second or third place as Finland’s trading partner in Africa.

What is certain, Finland intends to draw inspiration from or use the experience with Morocco to consolidate its place on the African chessboard. This is the whole fabric of the new Finnish strategy for the decades to come on the continent.

Because Africa is at the heart of global challenges, evidenced by the ever increasing political and economic presence of international actors. And competition for influencing power, natural resources, and the management of transport, energy and digital connections impacting investment has accelerated across the continent. Finland could not stay on the sidelines of this dynamic.

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Finland’s ambitions for Africa


The strategy aims to intensify and diversify Finland’s relations with African countries, the African Union (AU) and regional organizations. The strategy stresses the importance of strengthening political and economic relations on the basis of common interests and reciprocity.

Finland promotes these objectives, due to its bilateral relations with African countries, but also as an EU Member State, in Nordic cooperation, international funding institutions, as well as in other multilateral cooperation frameworks .

Finland’s Africa strategy does not focus on development cooperation work, but on the development and diversification of political and economic relations between Finland and African countries.

Source: afrimag