Slovenia and the UAE are trusted partners in a turbulent world

President Sheikh Mohamed poses for a photo with Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at Cop28 in Dubai last year. UAE Presidential Court

This weekend will mark a historic moment in Slovenia-UAE relations, when President Dr Natasa Pirc Musar arrives in Abu Dhabi for her first official bilateral visit.

The visit, which comes at a time of great geopolitical turbulence with potentially devastating consequences for the entire world, demonstrates the importance we place on continuing to build strong bilateral relations between Slovenia and the UAE. It also shows that both countries view this relationship as one between valuable and trusted partners.

It has been 32 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations and six years since Slovenia opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi, its first in the Gulf. The embassy opening was a sign of our genuine interest to further develop friendly relations with the UAE in all areas.

We have strengthened our co-operation in recent years and there is a vibrant political and economic activity between our two countries. The UAE has become the second-largest economic partner of Slovenia among the Gulf states. Establishing direct flights, linking Dubai and Ljubljana, has contributed greatly towards people-to-people contacts and new connections in different fields.

Numerous Slovenian companies active in the various emirates acknowledge the UAE as a favourable business environment. These companies, along with business delegations, are participating in all the major trade fairs in the UAE such as Gitex, Idex, Arab Health and Gulfood.

Tadej Pogacar of Team Emirates is one of a number of Slovenian athletes competing in the UAE. AP

Many Slovenian citizens now live in the UAE: entrepreneurs, university professors, artists and professionals across fields. Some UAE sports teams include Slovenian athletes. Notable names include the world cycling champion Tadej Pogacar, who rides for UAE Team Emirates. Jurica Golemac and Klemen Prepelic are head coach and captain, respectively, of the newly formed Dubai Basketball Club. Slovenian footballers ply their trade in the UAE’s leagues.

The two countries are also co-operating in various multilateral forums.

Slovenia is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 term, with its membership based on the motto “Building trust, securing the future”, stressing the respect for international law and protection of human rights, including gender rights. The ever-growing friendly relations between the two countries were also reflected in the fact that the UAE supported Slovenia’s candidacy to the Security Council, helping to reach a significant moment in our nation’s diplomatic history.

As a committed nation at the heart of Europe, Slovenia has already demonstrated leadership on issues ranging from human rights to water management. Our commitment to reaching peace and stability amid increasing tensions around the world, especially in the Middle East, threatened by an all-out war, is just one of our common driving forces. Slovenia’s approach is focused on conflict prevention. Much like the UAE, Slovenia considers itself as an honest broker and believes in the power of mediation.

Our country champions an equal role for women in public life, too.

Dr Pirc Musar is the first female head of state in Slovenia’s history. In the early 2010s, we had our first ever woman prime minister. Today, the president of the National Assembly, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, the state prosecutor and the state attorney are all women.

Last but not least, 40 per cent of the National Assembly is comprised of women, which is a national record.

While the UAE is one of world’s leading humanitarian donors, Slovenia also highlights the importance of protecting civilians in armed conflicts by respecting international humanitarian and human rights laws. That is why we commend the UAE’s material support to UNRWA, which is being consistently targeted to the point of being banned by Israeli legislation. Hence, in order to prevent an even bigger number of civilian casualties in Gaza and Lebanon, which are the biggest victims, Slovenia is pushing for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages resulting from negotiations that will include regional actors like the UAE.

People distribute bags of flour to Palestinians at an UNRWA aid distribution centre in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday. EPA

Simultaneously, the international community should take concrete steps towards implementing the two-state solution and finding a political resolution that respects the rights, and guarantees the security, of both Palestinians and Israelis, and addresses the root causes of the conflict. Otherwise the deadly cycle of violence will not stop. It is time to show principled positions, not double standards, and accountability should be ensured for all violations of international law, regardless of the perpetrator, and not only in the Middle East.

Lasting peace is also urgently needed in Ukraine, as aggression has no place under the UN Charter and a just peace approved by Ukraine as the victim of aggression is needed. Despite potential differences on the way of achieving a certain goal, Slovenia and the UAE remain faithful to the same objective and that is what counts.

As our two countries place a special emphasis on multilateralism in an increasingly polarised world, we are both aware that climate agenda is also an agenda for peace. During Cop28 in Dubai, Slovenia and the UAE, as members of the Green Group, launched the Green Group Knowledge Hub on Water Solutions as well as the Climate Adaptation Accelerator. More concretely, Slovenia, just like the UAE, views water not merely as a commodity but as a fundamental human right – and is as such enshrined in our Constitution.

Perhaps far apart in terms of physical distance, yet so comparable in numerous ways, Slovenia and the UAE share a number of priorities and interests, and continue to develop and explore the remaining untapped potential for our co-operation. I am confident that the coming visit of the Slovenian President to the UAE will greatly contribute towards strengthening this partnership even further.