The Team Finland network is organizing a high-level business delegation to visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates January 12 - 15, 2025, led by Mr. Petteri Orpo, the Prime Minister of Finland. The visit to Qatar is a follow-up visit after His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar, and his delegation visited Finland in September 2024. The visit to the UAE celebrates 50 years of diplomatic relations between Finland and the UAE.
Qatar
In recent years, Finland has strengthened its relations with Qatar, which is considered a strategic gateway to the Middle East and one of the fastest-growing economies with the highest GDP per capita. Qatar's National Vision 2030 aims to transform the country into a diversified, sustainable economy through digitalization, infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, and education investments. This vision creates significant opportunities for Finnish businesses in several sectors.
Qatar's smart cities rely heavily on ICT and have projected investments of USD 2-3 billion in fintech and cybersecurity. Also, as a major global natural gas producer, Qatar is diversifying into renewable energy and sustainability projects. Finnish expertise in recycling, waste-to-energy, and water can play a role in Qatar's decarbonization pathway.
The United Arab Emirates
Finland and the United Arab Emirates have longstanding strong political and commercial relations. The UAE is currently Finland's largest export market in the region and a major hub for Finnish businesses in the Middle East.
The UAE is the Arab world’s second-largest economy and one of the world's most dynamic markets due to its world-class infrastructure, business-friendly environment, and advanced digital economy. To comply with its Net Zero by 2050 strategy, the UAE plans to invest USD 54 billion in renewables (solar, wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and nuclear) by 2030. With other ongoing investments in infrastructure, digitalization, emerging technologies and healthcare, the UAE is positioning itself as a global leader in innovation and sustainability. Doing business with the UAE offers Finnish companies access to a diversified and high-growth economy, making it a key destination for global expansion.
Hence, the visit’s key themes will be sustainability and digitalisation, particularly in fintech, cybersecurity and smart cities. The program in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will feature B2B meetings with public entities and private companies and networking receptions. In Doha, a high-level business seminar with multisectoral roundtable discussions will be organized, as a continuation of the first seminar held in Helsinki with the Qatari counterparts in September.
Who should attend?
The visit is aimed at Finnish companies that offer solutions for;
- Digitalization: cybersecurity, fintech, smart cities
- Sustainability: Waste-to-energy solutions and water recycling solutions; solutions that enable shifting from a fossil-based economy to a biobased economy.
In addition to the above mentioned sectors, companies with a specific interest in the Qatari or the UAE market are welcome to join.
Participation fee
To cover the costs of arranging the visit to Qatar & the UAE, Business Finland will charge a participation fee.
Qatar:
- Micro businesses and SMEs: EUR 935 + 25,5 % VAT per person
- Major companies: EUR 1100 + 25,5% VAT per person
UAE:
- Micro businesses and SMEs: EUR 935 + 25,5 % VAT per person
- Major companies: EUR 1100 + 25,5% VAT per person
Business Finland will invoice the participation fee after the visit based on the actual costs. The invoiced fee will not exceed the amounts mentioned above. Kindly note that the participation fee does not include flights or accommodation of the participant nor meals outside the business delegation program.
