Ljubljana: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Robert Golub, on the sidelines of his visit to the capital, Ljubljana. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.

According to State Information Service Egypt, during the meeting, Dr. Badr Abdelatty praised the level of bilateral relations between Egypt and Slovenia and emphasized enhancing joint cooperation in fields like economic, trade, and investment, along with cultural and tourism cooperation. He also reviewed opportunities to boost Egyptian exports to European Union countries via Slovenia and the possibility of launching a maritime shipping line to make Slovenia a gateway for exporting Egyptian goods to European markets, given Egypt's strategic location.

In this context, Dr. Abdelatty welcomed the outcomes of the second session of the Joint Economic Committee held last February and expressed his hope that Cairo would host the third session this year. He also highlighted investment opportunities in Egypt, including the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the newly built cities in recent years.

The two sides discussed expanding cooperation in the ports sector, beyond the existing collaboration between the ports of Koper and Alexandria, to include other Egyptian ports such as Ain Sokhna and Damietta. Dr. Abdelatty emphasized finalizing the procedures for activating the air service agreement between Egypt and Slovenia, which would support bilateral cooperation and increase tourism and investment.

Dr. Abdelatty also expressed his hope for reaching an agreement on skilled labor, allowing for the recruitment of Egyptian workers to Slovenia, either permanently or through temporary migration. The discussion included enhancing cooperation in the health sector, particularly in medical and wellness tourism, and the possibility of exchanging doctor visits and developing joint training programs.

The Slovenian Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the relations between the two countries, welcomed Egyptian investments in Slovenia, and expressed his hope to increase them, contributing to making Slovenia a gateway for Egyptian trade to the Western Balkans and Central Europe.