Government of the Republic of Slovenia

11/01/2024 | Press release | Archived content

Minister Fajon opens Slovenian Embassy in Ethiopia: Many doors are opening in African diplomatic hub

1. 11. 2024
Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon held a bilateral meeting with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos in Addis Ababa to discuss the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries, which will be greatly facilitated by the opening of the new Slovenian embassy in Ethiopia. The Minister inaugurated the embassy together with her Ethiopian counterpart and the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, Ms Kristina Radej.

"I am very pleased with the decision to open an embassy in Addis Ababa. This marks a new milestone in relations between Slovenia and Ethiopia. Our first embassy in sub-Saharan Africa extends Slovenia's diplomatic network to a city that, as the seat of the African Union, has a vibrant diplomatic community," said Minister Fajon at the opening of the embassy in the Bole district, the heart of Addis Ababa.

Today, Slovenia has 61 diplomatic missions and consular posts around the world, including 47 embassies, of which there are now three resident embassies in Africa - Egypt, Algeria and Ethiopia. "We would like the embassy in Addis Ababa to become the first Slovenian development embassy since there is a lot of potential in this area, from apitourism, technology transfer and artificial intelligence to sustainable tourism and agriculture. I am convinced that we can learn from each other and share our knowledge and experience," pointed out Minister Fajon. Following the appointment of the Slovenian Special Envoy to the UN Security Council in 2020, the opening of the embassy in Ethiopia is an important step towards a broader diplomatic presence in the region and on the African continent.

The bilateral meeting between Slovenian Foreign Minister Fajon and her Ethiopian counterpart Timothewos focused on the possibilities for deeper cooperation between Slovenia and Ethiopia, which will be facilitated by the new Slovenian embassy. Minister Fajon expressed her wish that Ethiopia would also consider opening an embassy in Slovenia. The two ministers see potential for bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and hydroelectric power. They also discussed opportunities for Ethiopians to study in Slovenia as part of development cooperation.

Minister Fajon also touched upon the security situation in the Horn of Africa region. "Ethiopia plays a key role in this part of the continent. In the face of security challenges exacerbated by climate change, dialogue between countries is crucial for the stability of the region," Fajon said after the meeting. As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Slovenia is strongly committed to the efforts of the international community to maintain stability in the Horn of Africa, which is essential in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

This is Minister Fajon's second official visit to Ethiopia, following her visit in April 2023 as part of Slovenia's campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.