Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatriates Badr Abdelatty praised the deep-rooted relations between Cairo and Ljubljana, recalling that Egypt was the first Arab and African country to recognize Slovenia after its independence, and has remained the only Arab and African state with a resident diplomatic mission in Ljubljana since 2007.
The minister made the remarks on Monday during talks with Urška Klakočar Zupančič, President of Slovenia’s National Assembly, on the sidelines of the 2025 Bled Strategic Forum in the Slovenian capital.
Discussions addressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing mutual interests and strengthening bilateral ties.
Abdelatty emphasized that parliamentary cooperation is a key dimension of bilateral relations, expressing hope that the Assembly President would support efforts to engage Slovenian MEPs in backing closer ties with Egypt in the European Parliament, thereby contributing to regional stability and development.
He also stressed the importance of parliament in endorsing agreements and MoUs that enhance trade and investment, voicing Egypt’s aspiration to expand cooperation in renewable energy, logistics, culture, education, and environmental protection, in addition to increasing bilateral trade volumes in line with both countries’ potential.
Talks also covered regional developments, especially the situation in Gaza as Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s intensive efforts to secure a ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid access, underlining the importance of European parliaments in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The minister commended Slovenia’s supportive stance on Palestine, including its official recognition of the Palestinian state and its initiative to host and rehabilitate wounded children from Gaza.
He underscored the importance of Slovenia’s active participation in the reconstruction conference that Egypt plans to host once a ceasefire is reached.
