Finland, a pioneer of the circular economy, is offering its know-how to UAE entities focused on reducing waste and increasing sustainability.
“So far [we are] engaged in discussions; concrete steps [are] to follow,” Finnish Ambassador to the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, Marianne Nissilä, told Arabian Business.
The Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä was in the UAE last week with a business delegation at Expo 2020 Dubai and talks focused primarily on export promotion, but sustainability was also on the agenda.
“Besides the [UAE] Minister of Energy and Minister of Economy, he met with Tadweer and TAQA and all the key players together with some Finnish companies,” Nissilä said.
In the UAE, Finland’s focus has been on waste management. The capital Abu Dhabi alone generates about 940,000 tonnes of waste each month – almost the weight of two empty Burj Khalifas. And only about 30 percent of Abu Dhabi’s rubbish is recycled by Tadweer, formally known as the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre. But by this end of year, the emirate is aiming to recycle 75 percent of all items collected.
Finland, which in 2016 mapped out a path to a national circular economy model that looks to eliminate waste, deposits less than 1 percent of its municipal waste in landfills. “Finland is really a champion of circular economy,” Nissilä said. In Oman and Kuwait, Finnish technology is helping fuel waste-to-energy plants.
Finland, “a nation of engineers”, as Nissilä referred to the country, produces and exports electric appliances, paper and pulp, and steel and iron machinery, including elevators. The Nordic country is looking for Expo to be a catalyst for bilateral trade between the countries.
Finnish Ambassador to the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain Marianne Nissilä.
In 2020, the UAE was the second largest export partner for Finnish goods ($217 million) among the Gulf countries after Saudi Arabia, and third largest import partner ($19.6m).
“We would definitely, from both sides, like to see the trade volume go up,” the ambassador said. “But of course, the trade is made by our companies. So [it] depends on their capacity to find partners [and] close deals.”
There are around 120 Finnish companies represented at Expo and 70 with a presence in the UAE that predates the six-month global event, which is set to run through to March 31, 2022.
The trade opportunities in focus for Finland beyond circular economy elements include health and education, information and communication technology, and smart city solutions. Dubai boasts its status as a global smart city and has devoted significant resources to elevating its status further.
The 1,867-square-metre Finland pavilion, Snow Cape, based within Expo 2020 Dubai’s mobility district, is being part-funded by the Finnish government and half by 100 partner companies.
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