Finland sends expert assistance to Myanmar, Thailand, Libya

Finland sent an expert to Bangkok through the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism to support the coordination of assistance to Myanmar, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Wednesday.

The Finnish expert will be posted to Myanmar for two weeks from April 2 to 15.

Armed groups have been fighting in Myanmar for a long time. Due to the difficult security situation, the experts will be staying in Bangkok.

The earthquake and its aftershocks in Myanmar on 28 March have caused extensive damage.

The earthquake has affected areas in conflict zones, making it more difficult to deliver assistance.

Experts will cooperate with aid organisations to establish the need for assistance and communicate it to the EU Member States and other countries participating in the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, including Finland.

The Ministry of the Interior monitors the development of the situation and requests for assistance.

Meanwhile, Libya has requested technical expertise from EU Member States through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to determine the cause of a series of house fires, said the Ministry of the Interior in another press release.

One expert from Finland will participate remotely in the technical group between 2 and 11 April 2025.

More than 100 unexplained house fires took place in the town of Al-Asaba in Libya between January and March 2025.

The fires have caused concern among residents and burdened local and national authorities. The authorities’ technical investigation team concluded that gaseous substances are the most likely cause of the fires. There is a large landfill nearby, which may be a source of gas.