President Stubb to make state visit to Norway

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 55/2024
27 September 2024

President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb, accompanied by his spouse Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will make a state visit to Norway on 15–17 October 2024. The aim of the visit is to strengthen bilateral economic relations and to promote cooperation in security and defence policy and infrastructure development.

The state visit will begin in Oslo on Tuesday 15 October at 11.00 at the Royal Palace Square, where King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway as well as Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit will receive President Stubb and Mrs Innes-Stubb.

After the official welcoming ceremony, the presidential couple will lay a wreath at the National Monument at the Akershus Fortress. Later in the day, the President will visit the Norwegian Parliament, the Storting, where he will discuss with Masud Gharahkhani, President of the Storting, and members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.

The day will conclude with a Gala Dinner hosted by the King and the Queen at the Royal Palace.

On the morning of Wednesday 16 October, the programme continues at BI Norwegian Business School, where the President will participate in a debate on the foreign and security policy environment.

President Stubb will then hold bilateral talks with Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, at the Prime Minister's official residence. After the discussions, the President and the Prime Minister will hold a joint press conference.

The presidential couple will then attend a luncheon hosted by the Norwegian Government, followed by a business seminar at which the President will deliver a speech. The seminar is organised by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK).

The visit to Oslo will end with a reception hosted by President Stubb and his spouse at the Nobel Peace Centre.

On Thursday 17 October, the programme will continue in Bergen together with Crown Prince Haakon.

The day will begin with a visit to the Haakonsvern Naval Base, where cooperation in defence and the defence industries is on the agenda. After that, the President will visit the Port of Bergen, where he will be introduced to companies involved in the maritime industry and the green transition.

To conclude the visit, the presidential couple will attend a lunch hosted by Marit Warncke, Mayor of Bergen.

President Stubb will be accompanied on the state visit by Minister of Transport, Communications and the Interior Lulu Ranne and Mayor of the City of Turku Minna Arve.

During the visit, Mrs Suzanne Innes-Stubb will have a separate programme in addition to the joint programme of the presidential couple.

The last state visit to Norway by the former President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was in 2012. The most recent visit to Finland by the Norwegian royal couple was in 2016.