PM leaves today to visit Latin America

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä embarks today on his visits to the South American countries of Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.

He will lead a Team Finland trade mission to Colombia on 23-25 October and visit Peru and Bolivia on 25-27 October, said a government press release.

The Finnish prime minister’s itinerary during the visit to Colombia includes meetings with a number of high-profile leaders, including President Juan Manuel Santos and Trade Minister María Lorena Gutiérrez, with whom he will discuss bilateral economic relations, among other issues.

In Colombia, he will also open the Embassy of Finland in Bogotá, marking at the independence centenary of Finland.

Sipilä is also scheduled to attend a seminar co-organised by a number of Colombian and Finnish companies. Finland considers that there are good opportunities for exporting Finnish expertise and technology to Colombia.

In Bolivia, Sipilä will meet the country’s leadership and discuss bilateral and regional issues, while in Peru the agenda of his discussion with President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski will include bilateral relations, regional integration and development, and global issues.

The Finnish PM is also scheduled to meet Peruvian Prime Minister Mercedes Aráoz.