Riitta Swan, non-resident Ambassador of Finland to Qatar, at The Peninsula office. Pic: Qassim Rahmatullah / The Peninsula
DOHA: Riitta Swan, non-resident Ambassador of Finland to Qatar based in Abu Dhabi, has said that Finland can offer a vast portfolio of opportunities for Qatari companies and investors especially in areas of digitalisation, software, healthcare, education and clean technologies.
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, the Ambassador of Finland said that the relations between Qatar and Finland are very good. “Even if we do not have an Embassy in Doha, I and my staff visit Qatar often. Finland enjoys growing relations with Qatar.”
To a question about major areas of cooperation between two countries, the Ambassador said that the major cooperation areas for Finland in Qatar are machinery since “we have a few big Finnish companies active in Qatar but also education”.
“The Qatar Finland Private School was founded a few years ago and works extremely well. It has also increased the interest in Finnish education in general in the country. Tourism is also a promising field of cooperation,” she added.
On investments opportunities in Finland for Qatari investors, she said: “Finland can offer a vast portfolio of opportunities for Qatari companies and investors. I would say that the most promising areas for investors are digitalisation, software, health care, education and clean technologies.”
“Finland has an attractive business environment. Compared to many other countries we have a low cooperative tax. Finland is a R&D hot spot. We can offer excellent highly educated work force and over 90 percent of under 30 year old population speaks English. And we may not forget that Finland is according to the World Economic Forum the most competitive country in Europe,” she added.
She said that Finland is also a gateway between East and the West. “In 2 hours you can reach almost the whole Europe and the Russian capital Moscow. In less than 7 hours you reach the USA. Our main airport in Helsinki is an air hub to Asia.”
The Ambassador said that in Finland, “We can offer investors a stable and transparent business environment. We are one of the least corrupted country in the world.”
Regarding Qatar 2022, she said that 2022 FIFA World Cup will give Qatar a possibility to show the world her achievements and let people to see her great hospitality. “It will be a real boost for tourism also in the longer run.”
Talking on tourism sector, she said: “Tourism is definitively a sector in which we could proceed more in our bilateral relations. We have two daily direct flights from Doha to Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Many Finns have already found the way to Doha. Many of them thought continue their way further since Qatar Airways has an excellent network of flights all over the world.”
“We warmly welcome Qataris and expatriates living in Qatar to Finland. In only after 6 hours flight you can find a destination with the freshest air in the world and beautiful nature. Finland is very safe and has a lot to offer in wellbeing services and all kind of adventures.”
On The Qatar Finland International School in Qatar, she said that The Qatar Finland International School is the jewel in the crown in “our bilateral cooperation”. “It gives the Qatari and international children a possibility to be educated with excellent teachers and according to the best Finnish practices. In the school children learn tolerance and appreciation.”
At this moment, the Ambassador said, there are about 40 Finnish teachers all of them having a Master’s Degree in education at the university. “The School will start IB High School at the beginning of next school year and is planning to open a kindergarten.”
Regarding prospects for Qatari students to get higher education in Finland, the Ambassador said: “Unfortunately we have only very few Qatari students in Finland. It would be our sincere wish to get more young Qataris to our Universities. We can offer Bachelor and Master Degrees in almost all the fields of science in English.” To another question, she said that there are about 250 Finnish nationals residing in Qatar.
