Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has met with Finnish Ambassador to the Philippines Saija Nurminen to discuss opportunities for defense industry cooperation, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).
In a statement on Monday, DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said Ambassador Nurminen paid an introductory visit to the DND office on 2 April, where she expressed her support for a rules-based international order.
During their meeting, Teodoro highlighted that Finland’s geography and history have fostered its strong resilience to regional threats, contributing to its “advanced capabilities in securing its defense supply chains.”
“Meanwhile, Ambassador Nurminen conveyed that Finland seeks to cooperate with like-minded countries that uphold a rules-based international order, such as the Philippines,” Andolong said.
He said the Finnish envoy also mentioned that Nokia, a known Finnish multinational company, is interested in supporting the Philippines’ Self-Reliant Defense Posture program.
“The meeting concluded with Secretary Teodoro expressing the DND’s interest in enhancing its cooperation with Finland, particularly in conjunction with the Philippines’ Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept in areas relative to defense supply chain management,” Andolong said.