By Manal Abdel Fattah
Ambassador Sasho Podelsnik, Ambassador of Slovenia to Cairo, praised Egypt’s role in supporting stability in the region, especially in light of the recent tragic developments in its neighbourhood.
This came in his speech during the celebration of Slovenia’s National Day, in the presence of a group of dignitaries, ambassadors and diplomats accredited to Egypt.
Podelsnik expressed his country’s strong appreciation for the regular exchange of views between the two countries on regional and global developments. He also expressed his country’s gratitude for the assistance provided by Egypt in evacuating Slovenian citizens from Gaza.
The Ambassador of Slovenia said that Egypt is Slovenia’s most important trading partner in Africa, and remains our first partner in the region, highlighting the great progress achieved by the partnership with Egypt over the past year… pointing to the visit of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs to Egypt, and the official visit made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry to Slovenia last February.
He pointed to the holding of the second session of the joint committee between the two countries for economic cooperation to identify new ways of cooperation in the fields of trade, renewable energy, water management, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, as well as in the field of popular culture and communications.
Ambassador Sasho Podelsnik continued: We are working to strengthen our cooperation with Egypt in other areas such as climate action, peace and security, migration and mobility, as well as academic cooperation in heritage sciences, pointing out that small-scale development partnerships are also being concluded that focus on gender equality, women’s empowerment and environmental protection. The Embassy of Slovenia also actively contributes to eradicating poverty, reducing inequality and sustainable development.
He noted his country’s participation in the so-called “bee diplomacy” in Slovenia, which confirms its commitment to enhancing food security and preserving biodiversity.
This year, we celebrate our twentieth anniversary of membership in the European Union and NATO, which has not only strengthened our economic development, but also strengthened our commitment to democracy, human rights and regional and global security, he said.
He expressed his pride that Slovenia will assume the responsibility of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the next two years, saying, “Preventing conflicts, protecting civilians in armed conflicts, and ensuring the full implementation of international humanitarian law are at the top of our agenda.” He continued, “Slovenia has loudly expressed the terrible suffering of civilians in the conflict in Gaza, and has actively participated in the international community’s efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire and secure full, unhindered access to humanitarian aid as well as the release of hostages.”
The Slovenian ambassador to Cairo stressed that his country’s recent recognition of the independent and sovereign State of Palestine is a testimony to our support for the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and our commitment to the two-state solution.
It is worth noting that Slovenia celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its independence on June 25, 2024, and is a responsible and reliable member of the international community, a strong promoter of peace and security, and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the period 2024-2025.
