The text of the following joint statement was released by the Governments of the United States and Finland at the Third U.S.-Finland Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation.
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On September 19 and 20, the Republic of Finland hosted the United States for the third Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology Cooperation in Helsinki. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) Rahima Kandahari co-chaired the discussions with Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MEAE) Petri Peltonen. Deputy Assistant Secretary Kandahari applauded the 104 years of diplomatic engagement between our two countries and emphasized how science and technology cooperation exemplifies the mutual benefits of U.S.-Finland collaboration.
The JCM topics focused on key policy and research priorities, including climate science; cybersecurity; biotechnology, health, and life sciences; emerging technologies such as 6G, artificial intelligence, and quantum information science; research integrity and security; the innovation pipeline; and energy solutions for the benefit of peoples and economies.
The U.S. delegation comprised leaders and experts from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the U.S. Department of State. The participating Finnish agencies and organizations included the Research Council of Finland, Business Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, CSC IT Centre for Science, and the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Employment, Foreign Affairs, Transport and Communications, and Education and Culture.
As President Biden and President Niinistö reaffirmed during the July 2023 U.S.-Nordic Leaders' Summit, the United States and Finland have a steadfast commitment to the principles of mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual security. Our two countries are forged by our shared values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and a shared commitment to strengthening the international rules-based order. Finland's NATO membership strengthens regional and transatlantic security. We collaborate on science and technology in addressing the climate crisis, cybersecurity, and promoting public health to create a more prosperous future for our citizens. We also work together on shared priorities in the Arctic. Both partners work to create inclusive scientific research communities to consider the importance of preserving principles for scientific cooperation, such as promoting the integrity and security of the international scientific enterprise, and to encourage the participation in cooperative activities of researchers and organizations from all sectors.
This JCM reaffirmed both countries' commitment to continue close partnership and coordination on science and technology cooperation with a goal to advance responsible innovation, in alignment with our shared values, to address global challenges in health, climate, energy, and more. Continued scientific engagement and people-to-people ties between the United States and Finland will not only propel both economies forward, but also lead toward a more resilient future for all citizens.
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