Slovenian FM to make landmark first visit to PH; ink labor deal

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon (Photo: Tanja Fajon @tfajon/X)

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon is undertaking a historic visit to the Philippines to sign a labor deal and identify more concrete areas of cooperation with the country.

This marks another significant development in the two nations’ relations months after Slovenia decided to open its embassy in Manila, its first in Southeast Asia.

Fajon is bringing with her a large and diverse business delegation, and improving economic relations with the country is also high on the minister’s agenda during her Philippine stay from March 10 to 12.

She will pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and hold a meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.

“The visit has been long overdue, which makes it all the more significant as we are celebrating an important milestone: the opening of our embassy in the Philippines, the first and so far the only Slovenian embassy in the ASEAN region,” she told the Philippine News Agency in an email.

“We will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in labor mobility, but our interest in the Philippines goes beyond that,” she added.

The labor deal, to be signed between her and Cacdac, aims to ensure fair and transparent employment opportunities for Filipinos in Slovenia.

Based on latest data of the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are some 413 Filipinos in Slovenia, mostly clerical support workers, service and sales workers, technicians and associate professionals.

On top of this, Fajon said Slovenia is eager to further advance its cooperation with Manila in energy, climate security, science, sports and culture.

Seeing the Philippines as an important maritime nation, she said Slovenia is also ready to expand cooperation in the maritime sector.

“Slovenia, with its northernmost Mediterranean Port of Koper, can also be of interest to partners in the Philippines. The Port of Koper is an important gateway for shipping from Asia to Central Europe, offering the shortest route,” she said.

In her meeting with Manalo, discussions are expected to cover key international issues such as the situation in Myanmar, tensions in the South China Sea, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and advancing gender equality.

“These are complex issues that require international cooperation and we are eager to explore ways in which we can contribute to peace, stability and cooperation, especially in the changed geopolitical environment,” Fajon said.

“Different regional perspectives and best practices can contribute to global solutions,” she added.

‘Like-minded partner’

During this visit, Fajon will also lead the official opening of the Slovenian Embassy in the Philippines, which only began operations last year.

The official noted that Slovenia sees the Philippines as a “like-minded partner” on a wide range of issues in international affairs and on the multilateral agenda—one that shares the “commitment to the rule-based order”.

“The world is changing and we need strong partnerships more than ever. We see the Philippines as an ally who, like us, firmly believes in the rules-based order, multilateralism, international law and human dignity,” she said.

Recognizing that the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, Fajon is also optimistic this would open doors for Slovenian businesses both in the country and the wider Southeast Asian region.

“The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and an important gateway to the ASEAN market. Its strategic location, business-friendly reforms, highly skilled workforce and growing demand for European expertise and goods make it an exciting destination for foreign direct investment,” she said.

For Slovenian companies looking to expand into Asia, Fajon said the country offers a “dynamic and promising economic landscape full of opportunities for growth and cooperation”.

Slovenia, she added, looks ahead as negotiations continue for a European Union-Philippines Free Trade Agreement.

“The Slovenian community in the Philippines is rather small. There are currently two Slovenian companies operating in the Philippines. However, we are seeing a growing interest among Slovenian businesses in cooperating with the Philippines,” she said.

In this visit, Fajon is bringing 40 Slovenian companies representing various sectors such as transport and logistics, highway maintenance, food industry, manufacturing activities, and information and communication technologies.

Also accompanying her are representatives of the export and investment promotion agency SPIRIT Slovenia, the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies.

Fajon’s visit follows the inaugural Philippines-Slovenia Political Consultations in the capital Ljubljana in February this year.

The Philippines and Slovenia established formal diplomatic ties on May 26, 1993, officially marking their 30 years of relations in 2023.