United Nations General Assembly

The Republic of Finland

Agenda: Combating terrorism and eliminating non-state threats for global peace and
security.

Throughout history, violent armed conflicts have had a common theme. The death and
destruction, the lifeless bodies of soldiers burnt in mass graves, the destruction of structures and
burning of fields, the damaged and deformed minds and bodies. Those caught in the crossfire-
innocent children, the elderly and those who have never enacted violence in their lives ever
before. Be it the Syrian conflict, Afghanistan, Sudan, Congo or Myanmar’s Rohingyas.

Finland has adopted a National Action Plan Preventing Violent Radicalization and Extremism in
2012 and again in 2016. The primary goal of preventive work is to reduce violence and
transparent cooperation is essential in achieving this. Finland has been the first country that
published a national action plan on the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution
2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. The resolution recognises the positive and active role of
youth in preventing and resolving conflicts, building peace, and preventing violent
extremism.The action plan specifies five priorities: participation; prevention; partnerships;
protection; and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.

In 2022, the nation announced its intention to apply for NATO membership, a significant change in
its long-held policy. Finland has participated in NATO's bilateral Partnership for Peace (PfP)
programme since 1994, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) since its founding in 1997, and
the NATO Response Force in 2008.

Countering the threat of terrorism also requires that the root causes of terrorism are addressed
through political dialogue and development cooperation. Finland supports, for example, the Alliance
of Civilizations, based on the initiative of the UN Secretary-General, which aims to strengthen
mutual understanding across cultures and religions, and works to this end.

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Finland encourages the UN and other actors engaged in crisis management operations to develop their
mutual cooperation. Within the UN, Finland strives to enhance cooperation and coordination
especially with the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE), NATO and the African Union (AU), any measures against terrorism, whether international or
national, must be compatible with human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee law
in order to be effective and legitimate, to stabilize the global peace and security.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTIONS-FINLAND

1. Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the

Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism [CETS No. 198]
16/12/2005[SIGNED] -
2. Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism [CETS No. 196]
16/05/2005[SIGNED] 17/01/2008 [RATIFIED]
3. Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism
[CETS No. 217] 18/5/2016[SIGNED] (ratified by the EU)
4. European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism [ETS No. 90] 16/11/1989[SIGNED]
09/02/1990[RATIFIED]
5. Protocol amending the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism [ETS No.
190] 15/05/2003[SIGNED] 27/5/2005[RATIFIED]

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTIONS-FINLAND

1. International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (New York, 1997)
23/01/1998[SIGNED] 28/05/2002 (acceptance)
2. International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (New York,
1999) 10/01/2000[SIGNED] 28/06/2002 (acceptance)

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 3. International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (New York,
2005) 14/09/2005[SIGNED] 13/01/2009 (acceptance)

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https://rm.coe.int/profile-2019-finland/168098f518#:~:text=Finland%20condemns%20terrorism%20in%20all,is%20a%20significant%20security%20threat.

https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/finland/finland-country-brief#:~:text=Finland's%20foreign%20policy%20is%20focused,join%20the%20Eurozone%20in%201999.

https://finlandabroad.fi/web/un/peace-and-security