Finland plans to close its embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, along with those in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Yangon, Myanmar, during 2026.

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs cited operational and strategic factors, including changes in the political situations of these countries and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland.

This decision stems from a strategic review of Finland’s diplomatic network, prioritising resources for nations with greater strategic importance to support foreign policy, security interests, and export promotion.

“The ministry for foreign affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026,” said the Finnish foreign minister in a press release issued on Friday.

“The embassies will be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are linked to changes in the countries’ political situation and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland,” the statement added.

“Decisions on closures are made by a decree of the President of the Republic,” it said.

The ministry stated that preparations to close the embassies in the three countries have “already started” and added the missions would be closed during 2026.

It takes into account Finland’s foreign and security policy interests and the needs of Finland’s export promotion activities, the statement read.

“The aim is to concentrate resources on countries that are strategically important to Finland,” it added.

“We will systematically develop Finland’s network of missions abroad to meet future challenges,” Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen was quoted as saying.

“Our operating environment is changing rapidly. The changes to be made will help us to build a stronger and more competitive Finland and to manage Finland’s external relations in accordance with our priorities,” she said.

Finland previously closed its Pakistan embassy in 2012 due to budget issues, but reopened it in 2022.