Finland has joined the Global Partnership for Education becoming its 21st donor partner. The country’s first funding contribution of €4 million (US$5.3 million) for 2013-2014 will support education in GPE developing partner countries.

Alice Albright, Chief-Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education, visited Helsinki on September 13, 2013, at the invitation Finland’s Development Minister Heidi Hautala. Albright also met with Finnish government officials, media and education stakeholders.

"I am delighted to welcome Finland to the Global Partnership for Education. During difficult economic times, Finland's contribution to the Global Partnership sends a strong message about the pivotal role that education plays in reducing poverty and achieving success in development," said Alice Albright during her visit.

"Finland has set the world standard for quality education and will bring invaluable expertise to the partnership to the benefit of the 57 million children in the world's poorest countries who are still not in school," she added.

"I strongly believe that education investment in girls and women will have a ripple effect across all global development goals. Education is a basic human right, and not only that, it is a catalyst for all human development, as so clearly reflected in the areas of focus for the Global Partnership for Education’’, said Minister Hautala. The Global Partnership for Education is made up of nearly 60 developing country governments, as well as donor governments, civil society/non-governmental organizations, teacher organizations, international organizations, and private sector organizations and foundations, whose joint mission is to galvanize and coordinate a global effort to provide a good quality education to children, prioritizing the poorest and most vulnerable.