Visit of Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister to Slovenia opens up business opportunities in Central Asia
Minister Tanja Fajon and Zheenbek Kulubaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje in evropske zadeve
The foreign ministers of Slovenia and Kyrgyzstan agreed that accelerating political dialogue would provide business opportunities in bilateral cooperation, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, chemical industry, hydro-energy, water management, ICT, infrastructure construction, electrical engineering, tourism and agriculture. These areas will be the focus of the first meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation to be held in Slovenia as a follow-up to the visit by the Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, which is Slovenia's third largest foreign trade partner in Central Asia.
During their talks, Ministers Fajon and Kulubaev exchanged views on current regional developments and other foreign policy and international issues. Minister Fajon emphasised that Slovenia favours the region's political and economic dynamics, resulting from the new geopolitical situation caused by instability in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the increased interest of Central Asian countries in strengthening their cooperation with the EU. In this context, Slovenia supports deepening cooperation through the EU Strategy for Central Asia, as well as the ratification of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and its Member States and the Kyrgyz Republic. Slovenia also welcomes efforts to strengthen connectivity between Central Asian countries and EU Member States. Minister Kulubaev expressed interest in exchanging experiences with Slovenia regarding its role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, given that Kyrgyzstan is a candidate for this position for the 2027–2028 term.
During the visit, Ministers Fajon and Kulubaev signed the Agreement on mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports and the Programme of Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic for the 2026–2027 period.
The Programme of Cooperation outlines in more detail the plans for cooperation between the two ministries over the next two years, and provides for consultations at various levels within the ministries on issues such as politics, the economy and culture. One of its aims is also to promote bilateral cooperation within international organisations, as well as to exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest, including those on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
On 10 February 2023, Minister Fajon travelled to the Kyrgyz Republic with an economic delegation. The visit was organised by the public agency SPIRIT Slovenia.
Minister Kulubaev was also received by Urška Klakočar Zupančič, the President of the Slovenian National Assembly.