ISLAMABAD: Finland has announced that it will be closing down its embassies in Pakistan, Afgh­an­i­s­tan and Myanmar, citing “operational and strategic reasons”, it emerged on Saturday.

“The ministry for foreign affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026,” said the Finnish foreign minister in a press release issued on Friday.

“The embassies will be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are linked to changes in the countries’ political situation and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland,” the statement added.

“Decisions on closures are made by a decree of the President of the Republic,” it said.

The ministry stated that preparations to close the embassies in the three countries have “already started” and added the missions would be closed during 2026.

The move comes as part of Finland’s “strategic review” of its network of missions.

It takes into account Finland’s foreign and security policy interests and the needs of Finland’s export promotion activities, the statement read.

“The aim is to concentrate resources on countries that are strategically important to Finland,” it added.

“We will systematically develop Finland’s network of missions abroad to meet future challenges,” Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen was quoted as saying.

“Our operating environment is changing rapidly. The changes to be made will help us to build a stronger and more competitive Finland and to manage Finland’s external relations in accordance with our priorities,” she said.

The country had shut down its operations in Pakistan in 2012 as well, forced by budgetary constraints, but the mission was reopened in 2022.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2025