News

The Ukraine Mine Action Conference UMAC2024 is taking place today and tomorrow in Lausanne under the auspices of the Swiss and Ukrainian governments. The event, opened by Swiss President Viola Amherd and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, brings together high-level representatives from governments, international organisations and experts from around the world to strengthen cooperation in humanitarian mine action.

The new academic year at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs was opened today by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, with a ceremonial lecture “Themes and dilemmas of Slovenian foreign policy”.

This year's World Food Day - 16 October - is dedicated to food as a human right. Slovenia has chosen food security as the central theme of the 12th Slovenian Development Days, which take place between 15 and 22 October.

In Brussels, State Secretary Marko Štucin attended a ministerial dinner of foreign ministers on the margins of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit.

On 14 October, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs welcomed representatives of institutions from Brazil, Chile and Uruguay working in the field of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI).

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended the regular meeting of the EU General Affairs Council. Ministers and state secretaries for European affairs focused on the draft conclusions for the European Council meeting at the end of this week. They also discussed support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, EU competitiveness and migration, as well as other topical foreign policy issues.

Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, received Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić for an official visit. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, succession issues and Serbia's progress towards the European Union.

Minister Tanja Fajon took part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. The main topics on the agenda were Russian aggression against Ukraine and the Middle East. On the margins of the meeting, the EU foreign ministers met informally with their British counterpart David Lammy. Other current foreign policy issues – Moldova, Georgia, Sudan, Somalia, Venezuela and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan – were also discussed.

Slobodan Šešum, Director General of the Directorate for Economic and Public Diplomacy, was the keynote speaker at the round table Economic Diplomacy – Current Status and Future Development in the EU Region, where he presented to the participants the current challenges and views on the future role of economic diplomacy, as well as the challenges facing the EU, especially in terms of competitiveness in comparison with the US and China.

The 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which began on 9 September 2024, concluded today in Geneva. The UNHRC unanimously adopted a resolution on human rights education proposed by Slovenia in cooperation with a group of countries from different world regions.

State Secretary Melita Gabrič participated in the 16th EMUNI Conference in Piran, co-organised with the Union for the Mediterranean, where she expressed her support for the initiative to establish the Euro-Mediterranean Students’ Empowerment Fund - EMSEF.

State Secretary Melita Gabrič welcomed a delegation from the Polish-Slovenian Parliamentary Group of the Sejm of Poland for discussions focused on bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as current European and international issues.

One year has passed since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered a spiral of violence in the Middle East with catastrophic humanitarian consequences, especially for women and children. Slovenia condemns all violence, calls for the protection of civilians, the release of all hostages, the provision of humanitarian aid and the implementation of the two-state solution, which is a prerequisite for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Slovenia will provide half a million euros for emergency humanitarian aid to Lebanon. Together with the Slovenian Karitas, the strategic partner for the emergency humanitarian response, and the ITF - Enhancing Human Security, the assistance in the form of basic necessities will be targeted at the most vulnerable internally displaced persons, with a special focus on women, children and the elderly.

State Secretary Melita Gabrič has signed an agreement with the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, to provide 500,000 euros in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, consisting of medicines and medical equipment.

Marko Štucin, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, participated in the Meeting of Ministers and State Secretaries for EU Affairs of the nine Mediterranean countries of the European Union, known as the MED9, held in Nicosia, Cyprus.

"It is a pleasure for us to welcome the children from the Khmelnytsky region to Slovenia and we hope that they will be able to regain their strength and cheer up in the company of their peers before they return home," said State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Dr Melita Gabrič on the occasion of her visit to 50 Ukrainian children receiving psychosocial rehabilitation in Strunjan.

In Berlin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, attended the Berlin Process Anniversary Summit. She underlined that this process, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has played a significant role in promoting regional cooperation, connectivity and stability in the Western Balkans over the past decade.

In September, Slovenia held its first rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during its current non-permanent membership in the period 2024-2025. The September presidency presents an additional organisational challenge, as it coincides with the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly's general debate.

Today marks the International Day of Older Persons, celebrated annually. This year’s theme is ''Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.”