Finland to shut Pakistan embassy amid regional instability and low trade engagement

Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has announced it will shut its embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar by 2026, citing changes in the political climate of the host countries and their limited economic engagement with Finland.

“The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026,” the ministry said in a press release. “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."

This decision is part of a broader plan to reform Finland’s global diplomatic presence. “In the first stage of its strategic review, the Ministry strengthened Finland’s presence in the United States by establishing a Consulate General in Houston. In the next stage, the Ministry will open commercial offices in locations where Business Finland previously had an office,” it stated.

“The aim is to concentrate resources on countries that are strategically important to Finland,” it added. “The long-term development of the network of missions abroad also means that some missions will be closed.”

The decision to close the embassy in Islamabad comes at a time of rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The situation has become increasingly volatile, particularly after Kabul accused Pakistan of repeated airspace violations in recent weeks.

Islamabad has repeatedly held the Afghan Taliban responsible for providing shelter to militant groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out a series of deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Relations between the two countries worsened further last month, following an exchange of deadly cross-border fire — the most intense flare-up between the two nations in recent years.

Alongside Pakistan, the Finnish government will also wind down its diplomatic missions in Afghanistan and Myanmar, with closures scheduled by 2026. The decision is part of Helsinki’s effort to realign its foreign policy focus and channel resources toward regions offering stronger strategic and economic value.