There is still much potential for development.

With the EVFTA coming into effect, Vietnamese and Slovenian businesses have further expanded their business and trade cooperation, initially reaping significant profits.

Hợp tác thương mại, đầu tư Việt Nam-Slovenia: Còn nhiều tiềm năng để phát triển

Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien (left) at a meeting with President of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tibor Simonka.

On the sidelines of his visit and participation in the 18th Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia from August 28-29, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kien paid a courtesy call and held a working meeting with Mr. Tibor Simonka, President of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kien expressed his welcome to the developing economic cooperation between the two countries, especially after the successful visit of Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon to Vietnam in May.

The President of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry affirmed that Slovenia is always ready to cooperate with Vietnam to promote and facilitate businesses from both countries to explore areas with high potential for cooperation such as tourism, clean energy, environmental technology, pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing, labor export, and plastic waste treatment.

With the EVFTA coming into effect, businesses in both countries have further expanded their business and trade cooperation, initially reaping significant profits. Mr. Simonka stated that the value of goods exported to Vietnam in 2023 is projected to reach approximately 22.6 million Euros, an increase of approximately 58% compared to the same period in 2022. The main export items include pharmaceutical products for retail sale, heterocyclic compounds used in pharmaceutical processing, raw wood materials, and finished paper and cardboard products.

Furthermore, the Ambassador stated that, in the context of businesses in various countries facing the post-Covid-19 economic and trade crisis, strengthening connections and opening up cooperation opportunities between Koper Port and Ho Chi Minh City Port will help Vietnamese businesses in particular, and businesses in the Asian region in general, overcome the problem of rising freight costs in the logistics sector, while also shortening delivery times for businesses.

Once again, the President of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry affirmed his support and commitment to continue working closely with the Embassy to strengthen activities promoting economic and business cooperation between the two countries in the future. He also pledged to continue advocating and lobbying for the Slovenian Government to ratify the EVIPA Agreement as soon as possible.

The 18th Bled Strategic Forum officially opened on August 28th in Bled, Slovenia. This is the largest political and diplomatic forum in the Western Balkans, held annually and bringing together hundreds of high-level leaders from EU countries and several major powers.

The Forum's packed agenda over two days of intense work will discuss many pressing regional and global issues, aiming to find common solutions for the entire region, such as climate change, addressing energy scarcity and the transition from fossil fuels to green energy, the conflict in Ukraine, strengthening the EU's global leadership role, and enhancing the role of multilateralism.

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