New Finnish Ambassador welcomed with open arms
The Embassy of Finland this week introduced the new Ambassador-Designate of Finland to Namibia, Leena Viljanen.
The Embassy in a statement described Viljanen as a veteran of Finnish foreign service because she joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1990, the same year Namibia gained its Independence.
Viljanen in the statement said she is delighted to be in Namibia and is looking forward to working in this fascinating country with its unique relations with Finland.
“Finland’s new strategy on Africa provides a fresh and ambitious framework for further enhancing the political, commercial and cultural ties between the two countries,” she added.
Her greatest passion is to explore the many different corners of the world and she is excited to experience and learn about the people, culture and nature of Namibia. She is joined in this adventure by her husband Ari Viljanen, while their adult daughter Linda resides in Finland.
In her career Viljanen has held various positions, involving political and trade relations as well as international development, across three different continents namely, Africa, Asia and America.
She has previously been posted to the Finnish Embassies in Nairobi and Jakarta and represented Finland in the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington D.C and the Asian Development Bank in Manila.
