Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to Inaugurate First Resident Embassy in Slovenia
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar will visit Ljubljana on September 9-10 to inaugurate Israel's first-ever resident embassy in Slovenia, marking the fifth embassy opened globally by Israel in two years.
Amidst diplomatic storms between Israel and the United Kingdom, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has decided to visit Ljubljana on September 9–10 to inaugurate Israel’s embassy in Slovenia. This marks the first-ever resident Israeli embassy in the country and the fifth embassy opened by Israel over the past two years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the opening of the embassy is a natural development in the warming of bilateral relations since the change of government and the assumption of office by the new government led by Prime Minister Janez Janša, a friend of Israel, alongside a mutual desire to expand cooperation between the two nations.
The Foreign Ministry added that since taking office, Prime Minister Janša and his new government in Slovenia have demonstrated their friendship toward Israel both in word and deed, expressing support for Israel within the European Union. On June 4, Israel announced the opening of the embassy in Ljubljana. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša welcomed the move, stating: "Welcome to Ljubljana. We look forward to a new era in Israel-Slovenia relations."
Establishment and Bilateral History
Within just three months of the announcement, Israel appointed Ambassador Ruth Cohen-Dar as the resident ambassador and is now inaugurating the new embassy. Israel was among the first countries to recognize Slovenia's independence, and diplomatic relations between the nations were established in 1992. Slovenia opened an embassy in Israel in 1994, while Israel has hitherto been represented in the country by a non-resident ambassador.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated regarding the diplomatic milestone: "Opening the resident embassy in Ljubljana marks a historic leap forward in our relations with Slovenia, reflecting a shared commitment to deepening political dialogue and expanding economic ties."
Official Meetings and Economic Delegation
Minister Sa'ar's visit will be the first by an Israeli foreign minister to Ljubljana since 2010. During the visit, top state leadership will participate in a festive embassy inauguration event. A political dialogue will also take place aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and expanding cooperation between the countries. Additionally, during the visit, the foreign ministers will sign an implementation agreement for a cultural cooperation program.
Alongside the political visit, the foreign minister will be accompanied by a business delegation comprising representatives of leading Israeli companies and economic organizations. An Israeli-Slovenian business forum will be held in the presence of the foreign ministers and with the participation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General Eden Bar Tal. B2B meetings between companies from both countries will take place, and agreements will be signed between economic organizations.
