Activities of Secretary-General in Slovenia, 19-20 July

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Madam Ban Soon-taek arrived in the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, on the evening of Thursday, 19 July, from China, where he had made an official visit.

The Secretary-General and his wife had a private dinner with President Danilo Türk and First Lady Barbara Türk.

The following morning, the Secretary-General held meetings with Prime Minister Janez Janša, President Danilo Türk and National Assembly President Gregor Virant.

He then addressed the National Assembly, noting Slovenia’s deep engagement with the United Nations and expressing gratitude for the contribution of the country’s peacekeepers in the Middle East, including in Syria.  (See Press Release SG/SM/14422.)

Prime Minister Janša held a lunch in the Secretary-General’s honour before the two addressed the press together.

In his remarks to reporters, the Secretary-General thanked the Slovenian Government and people for supporting the United Nations in addressing today’s most pressing challenges, adding that in just two decades of membership in the Organization, Slovenia has made its mark at the United Nations, having served on the Human Rights Council and the Security Council.

“ Slovenia is a bridge-builder.  This country connects past and future, north and south.  Slovenia is helping other countries of the region to realize their hopes of joining the European Union,” the Secretary-General said.

He departed early in the afternoon for Zagreb, Croatia.