I hope that all FBC members and your loved ones are safe, whether in Dubai or one of the other Emirates, or abroad for the time being.
The UAE’s defense forces have done an admirable job keeping us safe, countering the ballistic missiles and drones with the kind of precision that speaks of high competence and provides assurance to the citizens and residents of this country. The tragic casualties have been so far few, thankfully – even while every life lost is one too many. We have learned to shelter and to count the booms of the anti-missile defense system launches. The situation, however, remains serious and we cannot predict how long the war will last.
The Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi has continued to function since the beginning of the hostilities against the UAE, but with obvious needs to re-prioritize and adjust our activities and actions.
The Embassy’s first and most important priority was, at the start of the conflict, to support those Finnish citizens in most need. In this case, this meant the repatriation of stranded travelers. Our focus, together with support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairsin Helsinki, was on the most vulnerable – for example, families with children – and on escorting the travelers from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Muscat in Oman, for return flights back home.
As is the case of other European countries, the pressures of repatriating travelers have eased, as there are commercial flights available. The number of Finnish citizens registered in the Foreign Ministry’s travel registry has fallen from 2400 at the height of the repatriation efforts, to approximately 900. While we do not know the number of Finns currently in the country – since registering to the https://matkustusilmoitus.fi/ service is voluntary - this tells us that many regular residents have decided to stay and continue their work here.
Here I take the opportunity to remind how important it is to register yourself, to receive the latest information from us! And please also, update your information when leaving the country. We continue to monitor the situation and change the travel advisory as necessary, coordinating our assessments with the Nordic countries as well as with other EU member states.
Taking into account security considerations, the Embassy’s customer service is currently based on email inquiries. Inquiries should be addressed to consulate.abo@gov.fi. For the time being we prioritize Finnish citizens and their families. In urgent cases, 24/7 support is available from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs at +35891605 5555, paivystys.um@gov.fi.
Even as the war continues, one day it will be over. The UAE, with its forward-looking spirit, wise leadership and strong economic base, is well positioned to recover fast. Overall, our strong sense is that the UAE is resilient and will recover from the shock and the damage.
The region’s long‑term economic vision, commitment to diversification, and sustained investment in innovation and infrastructure create a resilient environment for international companies. We believe that forward‑looking businesses will find meaningful prospects for growth as the situation evolves.
Finnish companies in the UAE also understand this. The current situation calls for resilience and an ability to adjust. The future calls for continued, strong engagement with our Emirati partners.
This means that we must already plan ahead. At the Embassy, this planning is on-going. Some of our activities need moving to a later date. Some will need recalibrating. The various expos and other important trade events that the UAE is famous for, will continue to offer opportunities for Finland to showcase our innovations and products. The upcoming direct Emirates route between Dubai and Helsinki will soon serve as a critical enabler of this momentum, significantly strengthening connectivity between the two markets and acting as a catalyst to boost tourism flows, business exchanges, and investment opportunities between Finland and the UAE.
Comprehensive security, digitalization and AI, sustainable construction, clean energy, health tech, education, we continue to have offerings that will be important for the UAE once the country’s economic development goals kick back into routine. And as we well know that routine is dynamic and fast-paced. Finland cannot be any slower in responding. At the Embassy in Abu Dhabi, we are already busy planning ahead.
https://finlandabroad.fi/web/are/matkustustiedotteet
With regards,
Tuula Yrjölä
Ambassador of Finland to the UAE