Finland Times

 

Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas (L) and Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (R). File Photo – AFP / Lehtikuva.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä on Monday paid a visit to the UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in South Lebanon together with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Taavi Rõivas, said an official press release. 

 

The Estonians joined the Finnish-Irish battalion as part of the Finnish crisis management force in May 2015. Finland holds the battalion's lead nation role. The prime ministers met the peacekeeping operation's command and the Finnish and Estonian peacekeepers.

 

“As regards participation in peacekeeping operations, Finland has both long traditions and strong expertise – for example, in Lebanon we have been involved in UNIFIL for four decades. Given the current situation in the Middle East, this operation plays an essential role in maintaining regional stability,” said Sipilä.

 

“I am happy that, through UNIFIL, we have an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with Estonia and Ireland. It has also been great to learn about peacekeepers’ practical work, together with Prime Minister Rõivas,” the Finnish Prime Minister added.

 

During the visit, Sipilä also inaugurated a Finnish sauna for the battalion.

 

Finland is currently Europe's sixth largest country in its participation in UN peacekeeping. Out of Finland's involvement, UNIFIL is the biggest.

 

The Prime Ministers Sipilä and Rõivas will have meetings with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri on Tuesday. The discussions will focus on bilateral relations, the Syrian conflict and the wider regional situation in the Middle East. 

 

Prime Minister Sipilä will return to Finland on Tuesday evening, said the press release.