Ambassador-of-Slovenia-Sašo-Podlesnik,-Culture-Minister-Ahmed-Hanno-with-Mexico-ambassador-and-Romania-ambassador
The event reflected on Slovenia’s path to sovereignty and its current role on the international stage. As a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2024–2025, Slovenia has positioned itself as an advocate for peace, human rights and multilateral cooperation.
Egypt remains Slovenia’s most significant trading partner in Africa, and bilateral ties between the two countries have deepened over the past year.
“We commemorate the determination, unity, and courage with which the Slovenian people, 34 years ago, chose to pursue an independent, democratic, and peaceful future,” said Sašo Podlesnik, Slovenia’s ambassador to Egypt.
“Today, Slovenia stands as a responsible member of the international community firmly committed to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, multilateralism, and both regional and global security,” he said.
Podlesnik noted that Slovenia’s second consecutive year on the UN Security Council comes amid “overlapping and complex crises,” and reiterated the country’s focus on conflict prevention, civilian protection, and international humanitarian law.
“Slovenia continues to stand firmly with Ukraine. This stance is not only one of solidarity, but of principle,” he said, adding that Slovenia’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is similarly guided by international law and concern over civilian suffering.
He also cited Slovenia’s recognition of Palestine in 2023 as a “principled decision” based on support for a two-state solution while acknowledging that current developments have made that goal increasingly difficult to achieve.
Ambassador-of-Slovenia-Sašo-Podlesnik,-Culture-Minister-Ahmed-Hanno-with-Mexico-ambassador-and-Romania-ambassador
“We are also gravely concerned by the military conflict between Israel, the US and Iran, which poses a serious threat to regional stability. We urge all parties to de-escalate, protect civilians, and fully uphold international law,” he said. Podlesnik also referenced the crisis in Sudan, calling it “one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies of our time.”
The past year has seen a series of high-level engagements between Slovenia and Egypt. In April, the President of Slovenia’s National Assembly visited Cairo, followed by bilateral political consultations at the level of State Secretary.
“Egypt remains Slovenia’s foremost partner in the region. We value its stabilizing role, and our regular and open exchange of views,” Podlesnik said.
The two countries have also expanded cooperation on development and education. Slovenia continues to support local initiatives in Egypt that focus on women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability. Academic collaboration has grown, particularly in heritage science, and through ties between the Euro-Mediterranean University in Piran and Egyptian institutions.
Podlesnik also highlighted Slovenia’s use of “bee diplomacy” as a symbol of its commitment to sustainability, biodiversity and food security.
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