News

Today marks the closure of the project, which was initiated on 8 March by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with women ambassadors to Slovenia. At the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, participating students were first informed of the activities for the promotion of Slovenia and its brand 'I Feel Slovenia', and later they were acquainted with the functioning of the Office of Youth and the role of the youth delegate to the United Nations.

Luxembourg hosted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary Meeting between 2 and 5 December. Slovenia reaffirmed its commitment to remembrance of the Holocaust and the need to disseminate knowledge of the tragic historical events to prevent such horrors from happening ever again.

Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar concludes his two-day official visit to Belgrade. Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met today to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, regional challenges, the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, the EU’s enlargement policy. At the Serbian National Assembly, the Slovenian delegation was met by its Speaker Maja Gojković.

Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič attended the Fourth Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Convention), held in Oslo between 25 and 29 November 2019.

On 28 November, Vice Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Qin Gang hosted State Secretary Simona Leskovar for political consultations as part of regular Slovenia-China dialogue. The last consultations took place in February 2017.

The Slovenian Government responded to the appeal of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and will allocate EUR 40,000 for urgent humanitarian aid for migrants on the Western Balkan route.

State Secretary Dobran Božič today received the President of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Regional Council Piero Mauro Zanin during his visit to the Republic of Slovenia.

State Secretary Simona Leskovar attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in the format of development cooperation ministers. Based on the final report issued by the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons, the ministers discussed the EU’s future financial architecture for development and the support for countries in transition, with particular focus on Sudan and Ethiopia. This was followed by a discussion on gender equality and education in development cooperation.

The Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič, stated at the 24th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention: “Only a multilateral approach, assisted by the Convention and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, can pave the way for a world free of chemical weapons.”

Today marked the beginning of the 10th edition of Slovenian Development Days in Ljubljana, dedicated to the challenges of development cooperation ensuing from climate change, with the first two panel discussions on youth and climate change and on circular economy. “By adopting new political and legislative orientations and the requirement for all Slovenian development cooperation projects or programmes to refrain from promoting an increase in fossil fuel consumption, Slovenia contributes, in concrete terms, to the fulfilment of the Paris Climate Agreement commitment to third countries,” explained Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar in his introductory address.

The eighth session of the Slovenian-Turkish Joint Economic Commission, co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Dr Miro Cerar and the Minister for Youth and Sports of the Republic of Turkey Dr Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu, was held at Brdo Congress Centre today.

On 21 and 22 November 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the 27th Meeting of the Tallinn Group, which includes 14 countries supporting EU enlargement. By way of introduction, the participants were addressed by Political Director/Director-General for Common Foreign and Security Policy Matej Marn, who underlined the current status of the enlargement policy and its great significance for the stability and implementation of reforms in the region. He also stressed the importance for the EU to send out clear signals, which must be credible and in line with the undertaken commitments.

The meeting of foreign ministers is focused on the preparations for the formal summit of NATO heads of state and government, to be held in London on 3–4 December 2019, marking the Alliance’s 70th anniversary. The ministers have already drafted the framework programme for the summit.

The Third Committee meeting of the UN General Assembly concluded yesterday in New York. Starting on 2 October, the Committee considered and approved some 60 resolutions and decisions over seven weeks.

State Secretary Dobran Božič met with Minister for EU Affairs in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden Hans Dahlgren.

Representatives of Slovenia and the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia met today in Koper for the fourth session of the Slovenia–Friuli Venezia Giulia Joint Committee. Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar and President of the Autonomous Region Massimiliano Fedriga, co-chairs of the Joint Committee, agreed that the cooperation between Slovenia and its neighbouring region of Friuli Venezia Giulia was very valuable. Agenda items for today’s session present the diversity of dialogue between Slovenia and its neighbouring Italian region, reflecting the needs of people on both sides of the border, explained Minister Cerar.

State Secretary Dobran Božič attended the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels, where the new EU budget, preparations for the December European Council, the rule of law and enlargement were discussed.

The successor states to the former SFRY have jointly sold the premises of the former SFRY embassy in Bonn for more than EUR 3.7 million. As stipulated in Annex B to the Agreement on Succession Issues, Slovenia is eligible to receive 14 percent of the total sale proceeds, which amounts to EUR 0.5 million.

State Secretary Simona Leskovar at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the U-LEAD project. The delegation is visiting Slovenia as part of the high-level study visit on Slovenia’s regional development policy organised by the Centre for European Perspective. The Ukrainian delegation headed by First Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories of Ukraine Dmytro Zhyvytskyy is composed of representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development, the Verkhovna Rada and the Office of the President.

Three decades ago, on 20 November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted, not only to protect children but also to recognise them as holders of rights. It has been almost as long since Slovenia’s foreign policy efforts have been focused on the promotion of children’s rights and the enhancement of their wellbeing. This significant anniversary is also in the focus of this year’s European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, which is marked on 18 November at the initiative of Slovenia.