Government Donors

Finland

• © A. Beesley
• The palace of Presidentinlinna

Since several years, Finland’s extrabudgetary cooperation with UNESCO has been increasing. Finland is therefore considered as one of the promising donors to UNESCO’s activities.

Development Policy
The main goal of Finland’s development policy is to contribute to the eradication of extreme poverty from the world. Finland is committed to a right-based approach and to the principles of sustainable development in its development policy. In that context, efforts will be made to increase funds for development cooperation, and achieve a level of 0,7% of GNI by 2010. This would enable the achievement of the development priorities.

Development Priorities
In order to help fight poverty, Finland has introduced main principles for its development cooperation:

• Commitment to the values and goals of the UN Millennium Declaration
• Broad national commitment and coherence in all policy areas
• Commitment to a rights-based approach
• The principle of sustainable development
• The concept of comprehensive financing for development
• Partnership for development
• Respect for the integrity and responsibility of the developing countries
• Long-term commitment and transparency.
  
  In that context, Finland is committed to continue to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of Finnish development policy, and actively supports the Paris Declaration principles.
  
  Multilateral Cooperation
  Finland allocates most of its UN development cooperation funding to four UN bodies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). In addition, Finland is developing long-term cooperation with multilateral organizations, programmes and funds that are particularly important for achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. For example Finland is a major donor to UNAIDS. This long-term cooperation include also among others, UNESCO.
  
  The main focus of Finland’s support to UNESCO is on:
  • Education: Finland is committed to the Education for All process, particularly to the UNESCO-coordinated Education for All (EFA) process, as a key international process, particularly from the point of view of implementing the second and third Millennium Development Goals, which are connected with education. Main contributions are therefore dedicated to the Nordic “Education for All Capacity:Building Programme”. Finland has been also supporting the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP). In addition, Finland has contributed significantly to the establishment of the EFA Flagship The Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities: Towards Inclusion, and remains committed to achieving the goal of the Flagship. The Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Jyväskylä together with the NGO FIDIDA have co-hosted the secretariat for the Flagship together with UNESCO Paris as of January 2006. Co-hosting the Secretariat of the Flagship will serve the key purpose of the Flagship, which is to act as a catalyst to ensure that the right to education and the goals of the Dakar Framework are realized for individuals with disabilities.
  • Science:
    After the tsunami disaster, Finland generously contributed to the establishment of a coordinated Indian Ocean tsunami monitoring and warning system
  • Communication: generous support is provided to the International Programme for the Development of Communication.
    
    In addition to the above contributions, Finland contributes to the Associate Experts Scheme, as well as to some of UNESCO’s programmes through secondments.
  
  
  Geographical Priorities
  Finland concentrates its cooperation on fewer countries and larger cooperation entities in order to improve the effectiveness of cooperation. Finland’s eight long-term partner countries are:
• Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia and Kenya in Africa
• Nicaragua in Latin America
• Vietnam and Nepal in Asia
  
  Related Links
  Development Policy, Government Resolution 5.2.2004
  Paris Declaration
  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland
  Inclusion Flagship
  
  Examples of Cooperation with UNESCO
  Capacity Building for Education for All