In a landmark move to bolster international development cooperation, a high-level delegation from Oyo State, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, held a series of groundbreaking meetings with stakeholders from Finland’s public and private sectors in Helsinki, Finland, on September 10-11.

The delegation, which included Senator Mosurat Sunmonu, Dr. Debo Akande, and other top officials, engaged in fruitful discussions with Finnish counterparts on key areas such as health, agribusiness, vocational education, knowledge exchange, technology solutions, trade, and investment.

Meetings were held with:

– Juhani Soini, Vice Rector, Turku University of Applied Sciences
– Sanna Salentera, Vice Dean Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku
– Anna-Kaisa Heikinnen, Director-General of the Department for Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
– Anna Rautvuori, Team Leader, Western and Central Africa, Unit for Northern and Western Africa
– Officials from the Finnish National Agency for Education
– Representatives from Finland Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Business Finland, FinnPartnership, Mining Finland, and Finncham

The discussions resulted in agreements on emergency medicine, accident response, maternal care training, and identified collaboration opportunities. Additionally, four investors expressed interest in investing in forestry, renewable energy, waste management, and agribusiness in Oyo State.

The Finnish Counselor for Trade and Investment, Samuli Kaijomaa, is expected to visit Oyo State next month to finalize the agreements reached. This historic collaboration is set to strengthen the partnership between Oyo State and Finland, leading to improved healthcare, education, and economic growth.

Governor Seyi Makinde expressed optimism about the outcomes, saying, “We are committed to exploring innovative solutions to drive development in Oyo State, and our partnership with Finland is a significant step in this direction.”