ISLAMABAD: Finland has announced that it will be closing down its embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar, citing `operational and strategic reasons`, it emerged on Saturday.

`The ministry for foreign affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026,` said the Finnish foreign minister in a press release issued on Friday.

`The embassies will be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are linked to changes in the countries` political situation and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland, the statement added.

`Decisions on closures are made by a decree of the President of the Republic, it said.

The ministry stated that preparations to close the embassies in the three countries have `already started` and added the missions would be closed during 2026.

The move comes as part of Finland`s `strategic review` of its network of missions.

It takes into account Finland`s foreign and security policy interests and the needs of Finland`s export promotion activities, the statement read.

`The aim is to concentrate resources on countries that are strategically important to Finland,` it added.

`We will systematically develop Finland`s network of missions abroad to meet future challenges,` Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen was quoted as saying.

`Our operating environment is changing rapidly. The changes to be made will help us to build a stronger and more competitive Finland and to manage Finland`s external relations in accordance with our priorities,` she said.

The country had shut down its operations in Pakistan in 2012 as well, forced by budgetary constraints, but the mission was reopened in 2022.