News

Today, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre and the International Telecommunication Union signed a joint declaration on cooperation in cyber capacity building and gender mainstreaming in cybersecurity in the Western Balkans.

Minister Fajon, accompanied by a Slovenian business delegation, visited Ho Chi Minh City, the economic centre of Vietnam, where she opened a business forum. The visit reflects the desire of Slovenian businesspeople to seek new opportunities and cooperation with the Indo-Pacific region.

This year, Slovenia is once again at the forefront of World Bee Day celebrations. President Pirc Musar was present at the main event at the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome, calling for responsible agriculture that respects and supports the vital role of pollinators in nature. Slovenia draws attention to their importance through more than 30 other projects and events around the world.

On 22 May, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs traditionally celebrates Slovenian Diplomacy Day. The event is dedicated to the diplomats who have shaped the diplomatic service with great commitment, an occasion to remember one of our colleagues who excelled in their work. This year, we remember Ida Močivnik. A valued ambassador, she stood out for her principled stance and the highest professional and ethical standards.

State Secretary Marko Štucin opened the thematic conference "Towards Knowledge-Society and Professions of the Future" in Brdo pri Kranju, held within the scope of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) lasting until October 2023.

Minister Tanja Fajon received Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Staša Košarac during his working visit to Slovenia. Their talks focused on bilateral relations.

This year, Slovenian Bee diplomacy is entering a new phase with projects primarily supporting social and environmental resilience. In cooperation with local partners, Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts will again carry out more than 30 projects around the world. The two most important celebrations will take place in Rome and New York.

This year's theme for the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, "Together always: united in diversity", reminds us that all people, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, are born free and are equal in dignity and rights.

Minister Tanja Fajon was in Koper today for talks with the Mayor of Koper, Aleš Bržan, and the management of the Port of Koper. The visit took place just a few days ahead of her departure for Vietnam (21–23 May) in the company of a ten-strong business delegation that includes the Port of Koper, and for Indonesia. She will also visit the Republic of Korea in June.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar hosted Pablo Anselmo Tettamanti, Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic, for bilateral political consultations. Their talks focused on strengthening political and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Under the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), the first meeting of the Strategy's National Coordinators took place today, bringing together for the first time delegations from all 14 EUSDR Member States and members of the Danube Youth Council (DYC).

After more than a decade of efforts by Slovenia, Argentina, Belgium, Mongolia, the Netherlands and Senegal, an international diplomatic conference has opened in Ljubljana to adopt the text of a convention on international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of the most serious crimes. The Conference will run until 26 May. Upon adoption, the convention will be called the Ljubljana-Hague Convention.

On 10 and 11 May, State Secretary Samuel Žbogar visited Brasilia for political consultations with Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, Secretary General of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held consultations with Secretary General of Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov and Undersecretary for Political Affairs Kyllike Sillaste-Elling in Tallinn. In addition to bilateral relations, the talks focused on current issues at the EU and international levels, including the war in Ukraine.

Under the patronage of President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, the Faculty of Law of the University of Ljubljana has organised the 6th Biennial Academic Conference "Responsibility to Protect in Theory and Practice" in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to mark the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the first conference of this kind in Slovenia.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon held a series of meetings with representatives of UN regional groups and senior UN officials in New York from 8 to 10 May.

The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs hosted bilateral political consultations between Slovenia and Azerbaijan, chaired by State Secretary Samuel Žbogar and Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov.

During the EU Macro-Regional Strategies Week (EU MRS Week), which took place in Brussels from 24 to 28 April 2023, the Slovenian Presidency of the EUSDR chaired the 7th Meeting of Trio Presidencies of Macro-Regional Strategies and the European Commission. The central topic for discussion was the common challenges of the MRS and their further cooperation in the framework of the Trio Presidencies.

At the opening panel of the 4th EU Macro-Regional Strategies Week in Brussels, State Secretary Marko Štucin presented Slovenia's perspective, as the country holding the Presidency of the Strategy for the Danube Region, on the role of macro-regional strategies in addressing current challenges in Europe. The panel was attended by representatives of the four countries holding presidencies of the strategies and Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted Dr Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the German Federal Foreign Office, for consultations. Their meeting was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations in the context of the strategic partnership between the two countries and at enhancing their bilateral cooperation on European affairs.