NEWS
Prime Minister Pahor on official visit to Egypt
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, has been on a two-day official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, with the main purpose of his visit being the upgrading of bilateral relations between the two countries. Mr Pahor was accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Franc Križanič, the Minister of Transport, Patrick Vlačič, the Minister of Public Administration, Irma Pavlinič Krebs, and the Minster of Economy, Matej Lahkovnik, as well as by a sizeable business delegation.
(Foto: Bor Slana/Bobo)
Prime Minister Pahor first met his host, the Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr Ahmed Nazif, particularly discussing more active economic co-operation. At the press conference after the meeting, Mr Pahor stated that the visit of the Slovenian delegation represented an important turning point in upgrading the existing excellent bilateral relations : "I would like to emphasise that today's meeting was a very good introduction into the establishment of a new kind of co-operation at the ministerial level." He also highlighted Slovenia's ambition to become an important player in this region. During their talks, the two prime ministers exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan, the Middle East and in the Western Balkans.
(Foto: Bor Slana/Bobo)
In his statement to the press, the Prime Minister Nazif expressed his satisfaction with the first visit of Prime Minister Pahor to Egypt, and said that the talks between the two were very constructive and would certainly contribute to further consolidation of both friendly and economic relations, as Egypt is also making efforts to increase mutual investments and striving for co-operation between the two countries in all areas. To this end, Mr Nazif particularly highlighted the consolidation of transport links and the signature of two agreements and two memoranda: the Convention between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion with respect to taxes on income, the bilateral Agreement on Maritime Transport, the Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Melioration of the Arab Republic of Egypt on co-operation in the area of trade in agricultural products, and the Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Health and Population of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the area of health and medicine.
(Foto: Bor Slana/Bobo)
After their talks, the two dignitaries attended the closing of the Slovenian-Egyptian business conference, with the main topic being bilateral economic relations. The Government delegation and the assembled businessmen were also addressed by Mr Lahovnik and the Egyptian Minister of Investment, Mohie El Din.
Following the Slovenian-Egyptian business conference, Prime Minister Pahor opened a photographic exhibition "Laščak's Heritage Today" by Matjaž Kačičnik, featuring 30 photographs of works designed in Egypt by the Slovenian architect Anton Laščak. The exhibition by Matjaž Kačičnik is supplemented by a number of presentation boards from the Gorica Museum presenting the life and work of Alexandrines, Slovenian emigrant women, who worked in Egypt as nurses, governesses and maids from the second half of the 19th century to the end of the Second World War. Boards were set up as a foretaste of a larger exhibition on the Alexandrines organised in May 2010 by the Gorica Museum in co-operation with the Slovenian Embassy in Cairo.
(Foto: Bor Slana/Bobo)
At the close of his two-day visit, the Prime Minister Pahor also met the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Amr Moussa. The focus of their talks was particularly the situation in the region, the economy, and proactive co-operation in all areas. As part of an exchange of views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Secretary-General Moussa called for a more active role for the EU in the Middle-East peace process.
(Foto: Bor Slana/Bobo)
Prime Minister Pahor later addressed the permanent representatives of the Arab League, highlighting recent developments in the EU and the changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty. "The European Union can look into the future with optimism," emphasised Mr Pahor, adding that Slovenia, despite its small size, is an important EU Member State, which intends to further enhance friendly and economic relations with the League of Arab States. In his address, Prime Minister Pahor also touched on the climate summit in Copenhagen and said that the EU and the Arab League, as well as numerous other countries have the responsibility of combating climate change and coping with other critical issues.