New Ambassador of Seychelles to Slovenia seeks to widen new avenues of cooperation
Earlier this month (on 3rd May 2016), Ambassador Selby Pillay presented to H.E. Mr Borut Pahor, President of the Republic of Slovenia his Letter of Credence as Ambassador of Seychelles to Slovenia, with residence in Brussels. The ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana.
The meeting that followed the presentation enabled Ambassador Pillay and President Pahor to discuss bilateral relations. In reciprocating President James Michel's warm greetings, the Slovenian President expressed the wish to meet his counterpart in the near future, possibly on the margins of the next UNGA, where they could further explore avenues for closer cooperation.
Also present in the President's retinue were the Chief of the State Protocol, Chief of Staff of the President, Secretary General, and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Slovenia and Seychelles are connected by many attributes - as small states, we understand each other's efforts and we would be pleased to share and exchanges experiences in the fields of environment and nature conservation; and tourism", the Ambassador emphasized and expressed Seychelles' readiness to further enhance cooperation in these areas.
Slovenia, the 2016 European Green Capital is very keen to collaborate with our Department of Environment and ready to look into the possibility of assisting and sharing their vast experience with us, in areas such as water management.
In the fields of trade and tourism, efforts are ongoing to conclude a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, and a Bilateral Air Services Agreement in the future. Ljubljana is host to the annual Alpe Adria Tourism and Leisure Show tourism trade fair that could be of interest to our Regional Tourism Office, to which an invitation is being extended.
During meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ambassador also evoked the possibility of collaboration between the UNISEY and Slovenia's oldest, largest and internationally best ranked educational institution, the University of Ljubljana. Slovenian government scholarships are also to be offered in future, both at Bachelors and Masters degree levels, albeit the former is conducted solely in the Slovenian language.
Discussions also focused on economic and European issues, noting that both countries have a lot in common in the international field, and belong to a group of countries which demand fervently the reduction of the green house gases. The Slovenian authorities commended Seychelles' environment conservation efforts; and for being among the first 16 countries to have already signed and ratified the Paris Agreement last month.
Slovenia, the most developed state of the former SFR Yugoslavia, joined the EU in May 2004, and in 2007 became the first Middle- and Eastern European country to join the Eurozone.