Appointed by the Government for its four-year term of office, the Development Policy Committee is the only body monitoring and evaluating Finnish development cooperation and policy on a systematic and broad basis.

Members

Members of the Development Policy Committee for the term from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2027.

Chairperson

National Coalition Party

Sofia Vikman, MP
Substitute: Janne Heikkinen, MP

 

Members

Finns party

Member: Sanna Antikainen, MP
Substitute: Veijo Niemi, MP

 

Finnish Social Democratic Party

Member: Jani Kokko, MP
Substitute: Saku Nikkanen, MP

 

Centre Party of Finland

Member: Tuomas Kettunen, MP
Substitute: Hilkka Kemppi, MP

 

Left Alliance

Member: Veronika Honkasalo, MP
Substitute: Hanna Sarkkinen, MP

 

Swedish People’s Party of Finland

Member: Eva Biaudet, MP
Substitute: Mats Löfström, MP

 

Christian Democrats in Finland

Member: Sari Tanus, MP
Substitute: Sauli Ahvenjärvi

 

The Greens

Member: Inka Hopsu, MP
Substitute: Fatim Diarra, MP

 

Liike Nyt

Member: Danita Westphal, board member, cultural producer, community pedagogue
Substitute: Marita Knevel, master of education, teaching specialist

 

Finnish Development NGOs – Fingo

Member: Ilmari Nalbantoglu, Director of Advocacy
Substitute: Eppu Mikkonen, Expert

 

Confederation of Finnish Industries EK

Member: Petri Vuorio, Director
Substitute: Heli Siikaluoma, Expert

 

Federation of Finnish Enterprises

Member: Laura Kurki, Expert
Substitute: Harri Jaskari, Director

 

The Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland AKAVA, the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK, and the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK

Member: Pia Björkbacka, Adviser for International Affairs at SAK
Substitute: Jaakko Haikonen, Expert at STTK

 

Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners MTK

Member: Juha Ruippo, Director

Substitute: Tiina Huvio, Executive Director

 

UniPID (Finnish University Partnership for International Development)

Member: Elias Pekkola, University Lecturer

Substitute: Irmeli Mustalahti, Professor

 

Rights of women and girls and population growth

Member: Elina Korhonen, Director of International Affairs, Family Federation of Finland
Substitute: Jaana Hirsikangas, Executive Director, UNWomen Finland

Substitute: Annukka von Kaufmann, programme director, Plan Finland

 

Eeconomy, employment and development loans and investments, private sector

Member: Unna Lehtipuu, Communications Director, Finnfund
Substitute: Marjukka Holopainen-Rainio, Advisor, Business Finland Finland

 

Education and well-functioning societies

Member: Katri Suomi, Director of Stakeholder Relations, Finn Church Aid

Substitute: Niko Humalisto, specialist, SLL

 

Democracy, peace and equality

Member: Anu Juvonen, Executive Director, Demo Finland

Substitute: Hanna Klinge, Vice Executive Director, CMI

Substitute: Tuomas Tuure, development coordinator, Abilis Foundation

 

Humanitarian assistance, climate change, biodiversity loss and multilateralism

Member: Suvi Virkkunen, Head of International Aid, Red Cross Finland
Substitute: Anne Tarvainen, Programme Director, WWF Finland

Substitute: Helena Laukko, Executive Director, UN Association of Finland

 

Expert members of the Development Policy Committee and their substitutes for the term from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2027

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Member: Markus Schulman, Senior Officer
Substitute: Anna Santala, Ministerial Advicer

 

Ministry of Justice

Member: Mia Luhtasaari, Specialist
Substitute: Jussi Tikkanen, Ministerial Adviser

 

Ministry of Education and Culture

Member: Pia Immonen-Seuguenot, Ministerial Adviser

 

Ministery of Defence

Member: Antti Rajahalme, Senior Divisional Officer
Substitute: Sanna Poutiainen, Director of Unit

 

Ministy of the Interior

Member: Jenna Kuitunen, Specialist
Substitute: Saila Heinikoski, Specialist

 

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Member: Satu Leino, Ministerial Adviser
Substitute: Annika Launiala, Specialist

 

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment

Member: Leena Pentikäinen, Ministerial Adviser
Substitute: Mikko Puustinen, Ministerial Adviser

 

Ministry of Finance

Member: Anne af Ursin, Senior Ministerial Adviser

 

Ministry of the Environment

Member: Marjaana Kokkonen, Ministerial Adviser
Substitute: Jyri Juslen, Ministerial Adviser

 

Prime Minister’s Office

Member: Taina Kulmala, Head of Unit
Substitute: Jouni Varanka, Ministerial Adviser

 

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Member: Eeva Furman, Secretary General
Substitute: Taru Savolainen, Deputy Secretary General

 

Bank of Finland

Member: Taina Sinivuori, Economist
Substitute: Anni Norring, Senior Economist

 

Finnwatch

Member: Matti Ylönen, Researcher
Substitute: Sonja Finér; Executive Director

 

Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK

Member: Juska Kivioja, Executive Director
Substitute: Ellinoora Vesala, Head of Domestic Operations

 

Peace Union of Finland

Member: Kalle Sysikaski, Member of the Board of Directors
Substitute: Folke Sundman, Member of the Board of Directors

 

Youth Agenda 2030 –group/(Climate youth group)

Member: Rosa Ihalainen, communications officer
Substitute: Venla Lehtinen

 

FIDA

Member: Maikki Kuittinen, Director of Programmes
Substitute: Joonas Haverinen, Communications Specialist

 

KIOS Foundation

Member: Kim Remitz, Executive Director
Substitute: Katja Ilppola, Senior Specialist

 

Moniheli – Strenght in Diversity

Member: Abdirahim Hussein, Executive Director

 

SKOL – The Finnish Association of Consulting Firms

Member: Jorma Peltonen, Director, FCG

Substitute: Åsa Wallendahl, Senior Consultant, Niras oy

 

The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation

Member: Laura Blomberg, Development cooperation coordinator

Substitute: Olli Turunen, Regional and Development Cooperation Coordinator

 

World Vision Finland

Member: Annette Gothóni, Executive Director

Substitute: Jussi Laurikainen, Programme Specialist

 

Finnish Institute of International Affaires

Member: Katja Creutz, Programme Director

Substitute: Antto Vihma, Research Professor

 

Finnish Foundation for Media and Development

Member: Marjo Heinonen, Executive Director

Substitute: Wali Hashi, Expert

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Senior public servants: Pasi Hellman, Under-Secretary of State, Development Policy
Helena Jauhiainen, Adviser to the Under-Secretary of State for Development Policy
Development Evaluation Unit: Antero Klemola, Director (EVA-11)
Department for Development Policy: 

  • Titta Maja, Director General, Juha Savolainen, Deputy Director, Substitute Kirsi Airio
  • Turo Mattila, substitute Annika Kaipola, Unit for General Development Policy
  • Heli Mikkola, Unit for Sectoral Policy
  • Lauratuulia Lehtinen, substitute Niklas Saxen, Unit for Humanitarian assistance and Policy

Political Department: Erik Lundberg, Deputy Director General, substitute Mikael Antell
Department for External Economic Relations: Antti Piispanen, Commercial Councellor, Sustainable Trade Unit, substitute Linda Piirto
Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Sirpa Oksanen, Head of Unit, substitute Matti Väänänen
Department for Europe: Sari Lehtiranta, Deputy Director General, substitute Veli-Pekka Kaivola
Department for Africa and the Middle East: Helena Airaksinen, Deputy Director General, substitute Hannu Heinonen
Department for the Americas and Asia: Juha Niemi, Deputy Director General, substitute Sanna Takala
Department for Communications: Ville Cantell, Head of Unit