State Secretary Štucin holds first political consultations between Slovenia and the Philippines

SLOVENIA, February 5 - The two delegations discussed bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including cooperation between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), EU-Philippines cooperation and multilateral issues such as the fight against climate change, gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, Myanmar and the South China Sea were also discussed. In this context, State Secretary Štucin reiterated Slovenia's commitment to international law, including the international law of the sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and respect for the decisions of international tribunals, as well as the importance of unimpeded navigation in the Indo-Pacific region. The two countries also share views on a number of multilateral and topical international issues.

The Slovenian and Philippine sides welcomed the preparations for the visit of Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon to the Philippines in March, during which Slovenia will inaugurate its first embassy in the ASEAN region. Both sides agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of employment, which will encourage and facilitate the employment of Filipino workers in Slovenia. The opening of an embassy in the Philippines reflects Slovenia's interest in strengthening cooperation with the ASEAN region, which is at the crossroads of the world’s major supply chains and a dynamic economic environment.

Tomorrow, 6 February, Undersecretary Lazaro will meet with the Parliamentary Friendship Group with ASEAN at the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. She will then deliver a lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences.