Statement by H.E Minister Ahmed ATTAF Inauguration of the Algerian Embassy in Ljubljana

Excellencies;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen;

Let me start by wholeheartedly welcoming each and every one of you and sincerely thanking you all for accepting our invitation to be part of this important, significant and memorable event.

Most particularly, I would like to acknowledge the presence of Her Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mme Tanja Fajon, who took upon herself to be here with us despite her very busy schedule. Madam Deputy Prime Minister, I highly value your participation and I greatly appreciate your commitment to the consolidation of the bonds of trust, friendship, cooperation and partnership between Algeria and Slovenia.

Likewise, I wish to warmly greet and kindly welcome respectively: the State Secretary for the Environment, Climate and Energy, the State Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, the CEO of Geoplin, the diplomatic community accredited to Slovenia, Parliament members of the Slovenian-Algerian friendship Group, members of the Algerian community in Slovenia, as well as the many high Slovenian officials and distinguished guests from various Governmental and media institutions whose presence here is a heartening token of commitment to the tested and yet promising relationship between our two friendly countries. We are truly thrilled and really privileged to have you here with us this evening.

Today is a very special day for Algeria, for Slovenia and for the Algerian-Slovenian relationship. I am really honored to formally proceed, together with my dear colleague H.E the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the inauguration of the Algerian Embassy in Ljubljana.

With the establishment of this new diplomatic representation, we are genuinely determined to open a new chapter ushering in a new era in the relations between Algeria and Slovenia:

a new chapter towards more economic cooperation and further political coordination between our two friendly countries;

a new chapter towards unleashing the full potential of our bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest and focus;

and, a new chapter towards building a solid, resilient and vibrant Algerian-Slovenian partnership that will benefit not only our two countries, but also the ideals of global peace, stability and prosperity that we both believe in, we both advocate for, and we both assume our fair share in promoting.

In so doing, I am glad that today’s inauguration of the Algerian Embassy in Ljubljana comes only three months after the official inauguration of the Slovenian Embassy in Algiers on the occasion of the successful visit to Algeria by H.E the Prime Minister, Mr. Robert Golob. This visit has indeed paved the way, opened new prospects and identified new ambitions for the development of our bilateral relations.

The opening of the Algerian Embassy would not have happened so swiftly without the diligent support of the Slovenian authorities, most particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Again, my profound thanks and my deep gratitude go to you, Mme Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and through you, to all the concerned authorities in your friendly country who have been so generously helpful in lending us their support in this regard.

Today’s inauguration comes also amidst a positive and purposeful momentum in the ties of friendship, cooperation and coordination between Algeria and Slovenia. In the most recent period:

we have seen the volume of our economic cooperation growing substantially, particularly in the field of energy;

we have equally seen the scope of our priorities expanding incrementally to include other areas, such as artificial intelligence, higher education, pharmaceutical industry and renewable energies;

we have furthermore seen the flow of official visits’ exchanges increasing gradually in both ways, with many high-level visits that are being prepared for;

and, last but not least, we have seen our two delegations working tirelessly and very closely together within the UN Security Council to promote the needed conditions for global peace and stability, despite the polarized international environment that continues to impede the Council from upholding its responsibilities and discharging its tasks that are so vital to all of us.

Notwithstanding what has been achieved so far, I sincerely believe that the best in our bilateral relations is yet to come. There is a huge potential for cooperation and partnership between our two friendly nations.

In this spirit, the meetings I was privileged to have had this afternoon with the President of the National Assembly, with the Prime Minister as well as with my colleague the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs have emphasized our strong political will, our shared expectations as well as our common vision for the development of this relationship in all its dimensions.

Whether it is more trade, greater investments, higher exchanges, deeper coordination, we have jointly set forth an ambitious agenda with the aim of exploring the promising and bright future of the cooperation and partnership between Algeria and Slovenia.

I personally look forward to continue joining hands with our Slovenian friends to achieve these shared goals and common priorities for the growth and development of our bilateral relations.

I thank you for your kind attention.