News

In the previous week, an event within the international BACID programme intended to improve administrative capacities of the Western Balkan countries was held in Vienna, where the European structure of the implementation of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) model in particular countries was presented to the representatives of Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

The fifth meeting of the Standing Joint Committee of senior representatives of successor States to the former SFRY was convened in Zagreb today, four years – almost to the day – after their last meeting, held in Sarajevo on 11 and 12 November 2015. Headed by Senior Representative of the Republic of Slovenia for Succession Issues Mateja Vraničar Erman, the Slovenian delegation urged for consistent and effective implementation of the Agreement on Succession Issues, for the fulfilment of its obligations in good faith and for continuous dialogue among senior representatives to be continued.

Senior government representatives from around the world have gathered in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to celebrate at the highest level the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Slovenia is being represented by Aljaž Arih, Deputy Director-General for Multilateral Affairs, Development Cooperation and International Law. The conference, which took place in Cairo in 1994, adopted a groundbreaking programme of action on gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights and health.

At a special invitation, Director General of the Public Sector Directorate Peter Pogačar is attending the OECD Civil Service Leaders' Roundtable held today at the renowned National Administration School (École nationale d'administration – ENA) in Paris.

The 2019 edition of Creative Forum Ljubljana opened on Tuesday evening, 12 November, gathering more than 200 participants from 25 countries in the next few days. On 14 November, ministers and high officials from international organisations and EU institutions will participate in a high-level political conference to seek innovative solutions and shape new policies in cultural and creative industries in dialogue with creative hubs and entrepreneurs. The high-level conference will be attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar and Minister of Culture Zoran Poznič.

State Secretary Damjan Stanonik is attending the 13th meeting of SEE ministers of agriculture in Pristina, Kosovo. This year's host country of the ministerial meeting is the Republic of Kosovo, in collaboration with the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG RRD) that is coordinating cooperation between the Western Balkan countries.

Earlier today in Geneva, the Slovenian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar, presented the progress made in the last five years as part of the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of human rights. The participating countries commended Slovenia on having implemented many of the recommendations received.

Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar attended the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in Brussels on Afghanistan, on the regional security situation in the Gulf and Iran, and on Sudan. During a working lunch, foreign ministers from EU member states were joined by Prime Minister of Sudan Dr Abdalla Hamdok.

Today Berlin hosted the reception on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was attended by State Secretary Dobran Božič on behalf of the Foreign Minister.

Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar met with the members of the Slovenian community in Amman on Friday afternoon. The Minister thanked the participants for maintaining contact with each other and with their home country for generations, thus helping to preserve the Slovenian language and tradition.

The second plenary session of the Intergovernmental Slovenian–Vietnamese Commission for Economic Cooperation, headed by Slovenian Minister of Economic Development Zdravko Počivalšek and Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh, was held in Vietnam on 8 November 2019.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Dr Aleksandra Pivec joined the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, on his state visit to Norway. The visit, hosted by King Harald V of Norway, covered numerous events and meetings attended, among others, by Norway's Prime Minister and President of Parliament. One event that received a lot of attention focused on the promotion of beekeeping and the role of pollinators in sustainable food processing, at which Minister Pivec was one of the speakers. On the occasion, President Pahor gifted the King of Norway a Slovenian beehive with painted panels.

Today Kyiv hosted political consultations between Slovenia and Ukraine. State Secretary Simona Leskovar and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar discussed the importance and strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Slovenia and Ukraine, including the potential in economic terms, cooperation in international organisations such as the EU and NATO, and the current situation both in and around Ukraine and in the EU and south-eastern Europe.

Today, Dr Miro Cerar is starting an official visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This is the first visit of a Slovenian Foreign Minister to this country in almost twenty years. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation with an emphasis on deepening political and economic ties.

On 7 November 2019, the Slovenian delegation concluded their participation in the International Law Week as part of the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee session in New York. Members of the delegation took part in discussions on topical international law issues and expressed staunch support for the International Criminal Court.

The Salzburg Forum ministerial meeting continued today, 7 November 2019, in Vienna, in the presence of ministers from the Western Balkan countries and Moldova. Participants’ discussions again focused on migration and the fight against people smuggling.

On the margins of the presidential official visit to Oslo, Minister Dr Cerar met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide. The ministers expressed their satisfaction regarding the excellent relations in various fields, especially at the multilateral level, and pleaded for enhanced cooperation on the circular economy, sustainable mobility and AI.

The International Resource Panel (IRP), one of the most important and eminent global research networks aiming to prevent the over-consumption of natural resources and ensure a sustainable future, continues its 25th meeting in Bled.

On 6 November 2019, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, Boštjan Poklukar, and the Ministry delegation attended the ministerial meeting of the Salzburg Forum.

Within the framework of the e-ARH.si Project, we are organizing the Fourth e-ARH.si International Conference that will take place on November 20th and 21st, 2019 in the Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The conference will be held under the slogan The past is just a click away!