Leo Svahnbäck

Husband. Dad of kaksi pellavapäätä. When off duty, a civil servant at the Finnish Foreign Ministry. Previously posted in 🇨🇳, then 🇧🇪 🇪🇺, now in 🇰🇪.

[Jukka Salovaara @jukka_salovaara]

Great political consultations with Principal Secretary @SingoeiAKorir 🇰🇪covering a wide range of topics. Finland and Kenya enjoy a strong and concrete relationship, working together from multilateralism to trade and development 🇰🇪🤝🇫🇮 Appreciate Nairobi as a strong UN hub 🇺🇳

[Alexander Stubb @alexstubb]

Travelling on a state visit to India.

I will meet with President of India @rashtrapatibhvn and Prime Minister @narendramodi as well as other members of the state leadership.

The visit will further strengthen the relations between Finland and India – including in the area of trade.

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

Today, a great step forward in outlining our peace mediation cooperation with Kenya 🇰🇪 and partners such as the UK 🇬🇧. As we work together for peaceful resolution of conflicts, committing to international law as well as sharing expertise, best practices and networks, is key 🔑

[Finland in Kenya @FinlandinKenya]

During the State Visit of President Stubb to Kenya in 2025, Finland 🇫🇮 was glad to sign a MoU with 🇰🇪 on Peace Mediation. We share a mutual interest to deepen multilateral cooperation in the peaceful settlement of conflicts based on mutually agreed principles&international law.⚖️

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

Great to see Kenya 🇰🇪 giving its vote for a just and sustainable peace, and for the upholding of the UN 🇺🇳 charter we’ve all signed up to. Our joint cooperation on the support of multilateral rules based system continues active. #standwithukraine

[Korir Sing'Oei @SingoeiAKorir]

Kenya’s support for the Resolution on Lasting Peace in Ukraine at UNGA last night. ⁦@ForeignOfficeKE⁩ ⁦@KenyaMissionUN⁩

[Finland in Kenya @FinlandinKenya]

Honored to join 🇨🇦 & 🇺🇦 today to mark 4 years of Ukrainian resilience.

Finland 🇫🇮 urges all partners to support today’s #UNGA resolution. It is a vote for a just peace & the rules-based international order that protects us all. 🇺🇦

#StandWithUkraine #SlavaUkraini

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

A resolution calling for ceasefire and just peace to #Ukraine, adopted with 107 in favor and 51 abstentions. Only 12 voted against these principles, and the clear majority in favor of peace ☮️ and the UN charter 🇺🇳. Extremely happy to see @ForeignOfficeKE 🇰🇪 in this majority 🙏🏻

[🇪🇺EU at UN-NY @EUatUN]

Adopted✔️ four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, overwhelming support by UNGA for resolution “Supporting lasting peace in Ukraine” calling for an immediate ceasefire and a just and lasting peace and reaffirming commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[Riina-Riikka Heikka @HeikkaRR]

Appreciated our vivid and energetic discussions today with Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association. Especially Finland’s work in Kenya on technical and vocational education and training as well as livelihoods support empowering the youth.

[Amb. Philip, Thigo, MBS @pthigo]

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮–𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆

An absolute pleasure to welcome 𝗛.𝗘. 𝗥𝗶𝗶𝗻𝗮-𝗥𝗶𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗮, 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮, 𝗠𝗿. 𝗟𝗲𝗼 𝗦𝘃𝗮𝗵𝗻𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, and their delegation to our office, as a follow-up to the successful State Visit of H.E. President Alexander Stubb of Finland to Kenya last year.

We had excellent touchpoints around tech diplomacy, private-sector collaboration, and research & innovation alignment, grounded in our shared values of inclusion, sustainability, trust, openness, and responsible innovation.

We agreed to 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 — 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀.

Looking forward to translating this strong momentum into concrete partnerships, joint innovation pathways, and impactful outcomes for people, planet.

@finland @FinlandinKenya @ForeignOfficeKE @kdfinfo @NIFCAfrica @SingoeiAKorir @MusaliaMudavadi @WilliamsRuto

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

Finland 🇫🇮 and Kenya 🇰🇪 are actively working together to support multilateralism and develop global governance. Peace and security - be it East Africa or Ukraine - is at the core of our engagements as well. The follow up on May State Visit to #Kenya by @alexstubb continues.

[Alexander Stubb @alexstubb]

Good to meet President @WilliamsRuto during the UNGA80 High-Level Week. We met last time in May during my state visit to Kenya.

Kenya is a strong supporter of multilateralism, and a promotor of peace and security in the African continent and beyond.

We also share thoughts on the reform of UN and it’s role as a peacemaker. The global power structure must reflect the current realities.

[William Samoei Ruto, PhD @WilliamsRuto]

We value our close diplomatic ties with Finland and are committed to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Our focus is on expanding trade and investment while deepening multilateral engagement, especially in advancing global and regional peace and security. We share a strong commitment to resolving conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia, recognising that peace is the cornerstone of growth and shared prosperity.

Held talks with Finland President @alexstubb on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

An interesting visit to the field, to see how the Finnish-German-Kenyan joint project on dual #TVET is moving forward. In Kenya, the population is young and the demand for dual training, covering both theoretical and practical skills is high - happy to be a part of this work 🇰🇪

[Matts Weurlander @MattsWeur]

Informative and motivating first day of monitoring dual #TVET implementation @ Mt Kenya region ⛰️! Impressive progress and vision at Chuka TVC, and strong appreciation for the practical skills’ approach by companies and trainees. Glad to see #dualtraining taking root!

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

It was a pleasure to attend the @InformAction_KE Hatua Podcast, discussing Kenya’s progressive constitution #KatibaAt15 and the active civic engagement to make it a reality. @FinlandinKenya remains a partner for Kenya and the Kenyans in this space 🙏🏻 #youth #women #goodgovernance

[InformAction Kenya @InformAction_KE]

In our next episode of the Hatua Podcast, we sit down with @FinlandinKenya's Deputy Ambassador to Kenya, @leosvahnback, to explore their partnership in advancing democracy as we mark #KatibaAt15.
👉 Stay tuned & check out for more!https://t.co/C64qGkjL18
#HakiNiYetu #KatibaAt15

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

China senses an opportunity in Trump’s cultural revolution argues @martinwolf_ “Trump’s America First” is bound to mean America alone.

[Martin Wolf @martinwolf_]

Martin Wolf: China senses an opportunity in Trump’s cultural revolution https://t.co/IxFFcbimvj

[Finland in Kenya @FinlandinKenya]

Ambassador @PirkkaTapiola was pleased to host the Kenya Finns board members over lunch 🇰🇪🇫🇮 Good talks on how the Finns in Kenya are doing and how we can collaborate even more in the future.

Interested in joining the 🇫🇮 community? Write to [email protected] 📩

[Finland in Kenya @FinlandinKenya]

Exciting weekend ahead as #SafariRally is on! Embassy colleagues attended the start this morning – what an atmosphere! A heartfelt thanks for having us @TGR_WRC. All the best to the Flying Finns🇫🇮 and the whole Toyota team!

#SafariRallyKenya #SafariRally2025

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

An absolute pleasure to meet my Kenyan MFA colleague this morning. 🇰🇪 🇫🇮 relations are moving forward and to the next level on many fronts, from trade to climate to peace and security. Lots of untapped potential out there, which we’ll work hard to unlock. https://t.co/wSNssULcGC

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

Great to be celebrating the World Food Day at this @aphrc @Zero_Hunger_Ke event. Finland partners gladly with our friends in Kenya for the “Right to Food” - there’s a lot of potential for cooperation and sharing practices, for one through our policy on #schoolmeals 🇫🇮🇰🇪🇪🇺

[Finland in Kenya @FinlandinKenya]

🌱 Today on #WorldFoodDay, our Deputy Head of Mission @leosvahnback spoke at the @aphrc @zero_hunger_ke Annual Food Festival, highlighting our experience with free school meals 🍽️ as shapers of our development story by promoting equal opportunities and education for all. 🌍

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

@HenriVanhanen @DocendonKirjat Onnittelut molemmille!

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

Soo.. Here we’re heading to meet the civil society representatives, whose work on governance, civic participation and access to information, among others, we fund through @TIKenya and our funds for local cooperation.

A low profile entrance, Kenyan style 😅

Asantini sana 🙏🏻

[Leo Svahnbäck @leosvahnback]

What a privilege to join this monitoring trip to Western Kenya with @TIKenya, seeing the progress made on the #usawamashinani (Equity for Grassroots) project, funded by the @FinnishEmbNBO. A strong focus on better governance, anti-corruption and youth and women empowerment 🇫🇮⚡️🇰🇪

[TI-Kenya @TIKenya]

We are honoured to welcome #TeamFinlandKenya, led by Leo Svahnbäck, Deputy Head of Mission at @FinnishEmbNBO, on a courtesy visit to our Western Kenya regional office this morning.

#TeamTIKenya and #TeamFinlandKenya are conducting a joint field visit to assess the progress of the #UsawaMashinani project, which aims to empower marginalized groups to effectively participate in public finance management and decision-making processes in Kisumu, Siaya, and Kakamega Counties.

#UsawaMashinani project also focuses on improving service delivery in County Vocational Training Centers (VTCs), advancing social and economic rights by fostering skills development and ensuring transparency in resource management.