Minister Rantanen: The Nordic countries must continue to work together to strengthen the preparedness of civilian authorities

Nordic ministers responsible for civil preparedness or their deputies will meet in Helsinki on 13 November. This so-called Haga ministerial meeting will be chaired by Finnish Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen. The ministers will discuss topical issues related to crisis preparedness in the Nordic countries.

In the current increasingly tense security situation, all Nordic countries must strengthen their preparedness for crises and hybrid threats.

“It is essential that civilian authorities and society as a whole are prepared to respond to various incidents and crises. Military preparedness is a vital part of national security, but that alone is not enough. In addition to military defence, civilian authorities in particular are needed to protect the population, our infrastructure and the functioning of society,” said Minister of the Interior Rantanen.

Police authorities, border control authorities, rescue service authorities and civilian intelligence authorities play a key role in ensuring the security of society. These authorities are the first to react and respond to threats that are not traditional military attacks but can still paralyse society.

On the other hand, we have seen in Ukraine, for example, that border guards and the police may also have tasks related to national defence. In addition, rescue personnel operate close to the front line of the war, extinguishing fires and rescuing people from collapsed buildings.

Much to learn from Ukraine

Due to Russia's war of aggression, the Ukrainian internal security authorities are working hard, for example, on civil defence, continuous firefighting and rescue duties, and the protection of critical infrastructure.

At their meeting, the ministers will discuss how the Nordic countries can make use of the lessons learned from Ukraine in the work of civilian authorities.

“Cooperation with Ukraine is very important for the Nordic countries. Together we will continue our strong support for Ukraine. We have a lot to learn from Ukraine, especially about the resilience of civil society, civil preparedness, rescue services and civil-military cooperation,” said Minister Rantanen.

Finland supports Ukraine, for example, with civilian material assistance. In May, Finland and Ukraine also launched an international civil defence coalition project led jointly by Finland and Ukraine. The aim is to significantly improve Ukraine’s civil defence capacity by building new civil defence shelters.

Keeping Nordic matters on the agenda in NATO and the EU

Nordic cooperation to strengthen civil preparedness, civil defence and resilience has grown closer in recent years. One reason for this is that all of the Nordic countries are now members of NATO, which has contributed to deeper and clearer cooperation. Indeed, it is important for the Nordic countries to promote their common interests both in NATO and in the EU.

The changing security environment in Northern and Eastern Europe also creates a clear need for broader regional cooperation. It may therefore be necessary to invite other countries in the neighbouring areas to participate in Haga cooperation between the Nordic countries in some situations and with regard to certain topics.

Haga cooperation strengthens civil preparedness

Haga cooperation is political cooperation between Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland aimed at strengthening civil preparedness. It was launched at a ministerial meeting held at Haga Palace (Haga slott) in Sweden in 2009, and regular meetings have been held since.

Civil preparedness refers to measures taken by various public authorities to ensure the vital functions of society, basic supplies for the population, and the functional capacity of government in a crisis. The civil preparedness responsibilities of the Ministry of the Interior include rescue services, people’s independent preparedness and civil defence.

This year, Finland has chaired the Haga cooperation, and next year it will be chaired by Denmark.

Inquiries:
Kimmo Kohvakka, Director General for Rescue Services, tel. +358 295 488 400, [email protected]
Wivi-Ann Wagello-Sjölund, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 640, [email protected]