© MFA Finland
Finland in the United Nations
© UN Photo/Teddy Chen
Finland in the United Nations
Finland is a consistent defender and developer of multilateral cooperation grounded in international law. Finland supports the United Nations in its main tasks to promote peace and security, human rights and sustainable development for all. We stand firm in support of the multilateral system – one where cooperation prevails over division, and justice prevails over force. The entire international community has benefited from the stability and predictability provided by the system and its rules.
A Timeline of peace and partnerships
1940s
Support from the UN
After the Second World War, Finland received assistance from UNICEF and UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration), including food and clothing supplies and support for post-war reconstruction. Thereafter, Finland became a decicated partner to the UN, first through the UN specialized agencies.
1954
UN Association of Finland founded
UN Association of Finland was founded to build domestic support for UN membership and to connect Finnish society to global institutions.
1955
Finland joins the UN
Finland applied for United Nations membership in 1947 and joined on December 14, 1955. That moment marked a new chapter in Finland’s history in multilateral cooperation.
1950s–1960s
Finland enters UN Peacekeeping
Finland first deployed peacekeepers to UNEF I, the United Nations peacekeeping operations at the Suez Canal in 1956 and has remained an active contributor to UN peacekeeping operations ever since.
1969
World’s First UN Peacekeeping Training Centre
The Finnish Defence Forces International Centre, FINCENT, was founded in 1969 as the world’s first UN peacekeeping training centre. A forerunner in this field, the Centre welcomes participants from around the world to a wide variety of courses in its portfolio.
1969–1970
First Security Council membership
Finland served its first term on the UN Security Council in 1969–1970. Finland was particularly active in advancing decolonization processes and in contributing to solutions in the Middle East, Southern Africa, and elsewhere.
1972
First Female UN Assistant Secretary-General
Finnish Helvi Sipilä became the first woman to be appointed as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. Sipilä was a pioneer in both international and national efforts for gender equality.
1984
Finland hosts UN entities
UNU-WIDER was established in Helsinki, strengthening Finland’s role as a host of UN research and development expertise. This presence has since grown through UN Global Pulse Finland, UNICEF’s Global Learning Innovation Hub, and Innovative Finance Hub in Helsinki.
1989–1990
Finland serving on the Security Council again
Finland served as a member of the UN Security Council for the second time in 1989–1990. Finland promoted the independence of Namibia, the status and easing of the plight of Palestinians, and enabling the Council to react against the occupation and annexation of the State of Kuwait in 1990.
2000–2001
Finland leads UN General Assembly
Former Prime Minister of Finland, Mr. Harri Holkeri was elected President of the 55th United Nations General Assembly, during which Finland’s President Tarja Halonen co-chaired the historic UN Millennium Summit with President Sam Nujoma of Namibia.
2001
Former Defence Minister Elisabeth Rehn pioneering UN work on women, peace and security
Elisabeth Rehn of Finland, with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, led a major UNIFEM assessment on the impact of armed conflict on women and their role in peacebuilding.
2004
The first female President of ECOSOC
H.E. Ms. Marjatta Rasi of Finland appointed as ECOSOC President. Since her term, several women have been elected to lead the Council. Serving as the Permanent Representative for Finland 1998–2004 Ms. Rasi initiated “the Finnish retreat”, an annual meeting “Hitting the Ground Running” to support the new members entering the Security Council.
2006
Finland in the first Human Rights Council
Finland was elected to the first UN Human Rights Council in 2006, contributing actively to defining how the Council operates. Finland served again in 2022–2024.
2008
Nobel Peace Prize for President Ahtisaari
Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his long-standing efforts in conflict resolution, including his role in Namibia’s independence process, as well as his work in the Balkans and Indonesia. He served in several UN positions, including as Under-Secretary-General for Administration and Management
2008
Finland Advances Women, Peace and Security
Finland published its first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) for the term 2008–2011. This was followed by three successive action plans, with the latest covering the period 2023–2027.
2010
UN Group of Friends of Mediation Established
Finland and Türkiye established a UN Group of Friends of Mediation to promote the use of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution, and to generate support for the development of mediation practises. The Group of Friends of Mediation has now 63 members.
2010–2012
President Halonen Co-Chairs UN High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability
Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen served as Co-Chair of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability from 2010 to 2012.
2021
First National Youth, Peace and Security Action Plan Published
Finland became the first country in the world to publish a National Action Plan for Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) for 2021–2024. This was followed by a second National Action Plan for 2025–2028.
2023
CSO–UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding
Finland, together with UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, civil society and UN partners, launched the CSO–UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding to strengthen civil society participation in global peacebuilding and enhance the UN’s systematic engagement with it.
2024
LDC Future Forums Co-Organised with the UN
Finland supports the development of least-developed countries by co-organizing the annual LDC Future Forums since 2024 with the UN Office of the High Representative for the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. The idea behind the LDC Future Forum series came from the first forum organized by Finland and UN-OHRLLS in 2021.
2025
Finland Advances Sustainable Development Goals Implementation
Prime Minister Orpo presents Finland’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) assessing Finland’s progress in implementing the SDGs. Finland has ranked first for five consecutive years in the UN’s benchmarking report on progress in SDG implementation.
2026
UN Secretary-General Appoints Mr. Pekka Haavisto as Special Envoy
In 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Finland’s former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto as his Personal Envoy for Sudan.
2026
70 Years of Peacekeeping for Finland
Year 2026 marks 70 years of Finnish UN peacekeeping. During the years, Finland has contributed close to 60,000 troops, police, and civilian personnel to approximately 30 UN peace operations and those mandated by the UN