Foreign ministers of Finland and Singapore agree to deepen AI cooperation, in a statement built on intentions
Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, and her Singapore counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan, met in Singapore. Their joint statement points to closer work on AI governance and quantum technologies, but names no projects, funding or deadlines.
Martti Asikainen | 13.10.2026 | Photo by Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Finland and Singapore have said they intend to deepen cooperation on AI, quantum technologies and digital infrastructure. The pledge is in a joint statement published by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 13 October, after Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, met her Singapore counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan.
The statement builds on earlier quantum and health agreements but names no projects, funding or deadlines. Before the trip, Valtonen said Finland wants to strengthen its strategic cooperation with Singapore on AI and other emerging technologies, and to promote “secure, reliable and human-centred AI globally”.
Finland’s foreign ministry said before the trip that Valtonen would also meet Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo. The ministers were to discuss AI, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and trade, economic and investment cooperation.
Valtonen was also due to give the opening address at Singapore International Cyber Week. She was to join an AI roundtable convened by Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security.
Governance, safety and open models
The joint statement says both countries want to shape international AI governance on the basis of evidence-based policymaking, inclusive dialogue and a rules-based international order. It notes that AI matters more and more for foreign and security policy.
Both governments also commit to advancing AI safety through international cooperation, transparency and common standards. They point to their joint endorsement of “A Call for Control of Frontier AI Models”. Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, and Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, initiated that declaration, and 22 countries adopted it on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Politico reported.
The statement names complementary strengths. Singapore’s are AI governance and its innovation ecosystem, including the Singapore Consensus on Global AI Safety Research Priorities. Finland’s are secure digital infrastructure and advanced technology industries. The countries say they intend to deepen institutional partnerships, expand commercial cooperation and back multilateral initiatives. They also say they support “open, diverse, and resilient technology ecosystems”, including research on open AI models.
From the UN to quantum and health
The statement leans on existing ties. Finland, Mexico and Singapore set up the Group of Friends on Digital Technologies at the UN. An earlier memorandum of understanding on quantum technology involves Singapore’s National Quantum Office, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, quantum computer maker IQM and the research computing centre CSC. A health memorandum signed this year covers medical research, health technology and AI.
IQM and CSC recently announced that IQM will supply the LUMI-IQ quantum computer to CSC’s data centre in Kajaani. The two countries also say they will explore working together in international forums on quantum technologies. The EU-Singapore Digital Partnership, which names responsible and human-centric AI as a shared priority, provides a wider framework.
