Overview
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Slovenia were established on October 20, 1992.
H.E. Mr. Branko Rakovec Ambassador of Slovenia to the Republic
of Kazakhstan (with residence in Moscow) since 2018.
Contacts at the highest and high level :
The First President of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbayev paid an official visit
to Slovenia in May 2002.
Presidents of Slovenia visited to Kazakhstan 3 times (M.Kucan –
in September, 2002, D.Turk on November 10-12,2009 and on December 1-2.2010).
In June 2011, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan E.Kazykhanov met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia S. Zbogar.
On June 13, 2013, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Slovenia K.Erjavec paid an official visit to Astana to participate in the second meeting of the Kazakh-Slovenian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Affairs.
Minister of Economic Development and Technology Z.Pochivalshek
and Minister of Infrastructure P.Gaspershich visited Kazakhstan on June 13-16, 2017.
Inter-parliamentary cooperation
The head of the Kazakh-Slovenian parliamentary friendship group, President of the National Party of Slovenia, Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia (lower chamber of Parliament) Z.Jelincic and Deputy of the National Council (upper chamber) M. Rybic visited Astana on September 22-23,2019.
2019-2022 – The Kazakhstan-Slovenia Friendship Group operated
in the National Assembly (Parliament) of Slovenia.
In July 2023, the Parliamentary friendship group for cooperation with
the Parliament of Slovenia was formed in the Majilis of the Parliament
of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A friendship group for cooperation with
the Parliament of Kazakhstan is being formed in the Parliament of Slovenia.
Trade and economic cooperation
Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Slovenia in 2023 amounted
to $111,5 million, which is 13.7% lower than in the same period of the previous year. Exports from Kazakhstan to Slovenia amounted to $2 735,7 thousand and imports amounted to $108.8 million.
Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Slovenia for January-December 2022 amounted to $9.3 million.
The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Slovenia in 2022 amounted
to 129.7 million euros (exports – 54.6 million, imports - 75.1 million euros).
Trade turnover for 2021 – 72.1 million US dollars, exports - 9.3 million US dollars, imports – 62.8 million US dollars.
An important mechanism of bilateral cooperation is the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.
In September 2023, the Intergovernmental Commission Co-Chairs are: from the Kazakh side – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, from the Slovenian side – the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia. The last 4th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was held on June 5-6, 2018 in Astana. The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission is scheduled for 2024-2025. in the city of Ljubljana.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation
Kazakhstan and Slovenia share a common historical memory of the struggle against fascism during World War II. In particular, a Memorial to Soviet soldiers has been erected in the city of Trnovo, where the names of the fallen Kazakh soldiers are immortalized on commemorative plaques.
On October 20, 2018, a solemn event was held in the village of Povir dedicated to the memory of the Kazakh hero «Kasse Sebero», who fought with the partisans of Yugoslavia and died in the fight against fascism in 1943. During the event, a ceremony was held to install a memorial plate with the words «Zhyrakta zhatsan da, oshpes yerligin elinnin zhadynda!» («Despite the distances, your immortal feat will remain in the memory of your people!»), a capsule with earth from the National Pantheon of Kazakhstan was laid. Slovenian public was presented with a photo exhibition dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Astana, a feature film «Zhau Zhurek myn Bala».
Since 2015 The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan is implementing the project «Pearls of Kazakhstan – melodies of the Great Steppe. Within the framework of the project, concerts were organized in different parts of Slovenia by the collective of the Kazakh National University of Arts led by the People's Artist of Kazakhstan A.Musakhodzhayeva, soloist Dimash Kudaibergen (Maribor, 2016), Almaty folklore ensemble «Sarzhailau» (Ljubljana, 2016), folklore and ethnographic ensemble «Sazgen Sazy» (Ljubljana Piran, 2019), the modern folklore and jazz ensemble «Uly Dala Ulandary»" (the cities of Celje, Sezana, 2019).
On July 26, 2022, as part of the Ljubljana Festival, a concert
by A.Musakhodzhayeva and the symphony orchestra «Academy of Soloists» was held in Ljubljana.
On April 12, 2023, a concert of the ethno-folklore ensemble «Turan», tenor M.Chotabaev, pianist D.Meirmanova and cellist T.Tolkynkhanuly took place
in Smarjeske Toplice as part of the artists' world tour.
On July 25-26, 2023, the Astana Opera Ballet Company performed a tour
in Ljubljana.