History and partnership: What connects Kazakhstan and Slovenia
Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan from March 31 to April 1. During her visit, a Kazakhstan-Slovenia business forum is also scheduled. What connects Astana and Ljubljana? A Kazinform News Agency correspondent explores their relationship.
Political cooperation
In October 2024, Kazakhstan and Slovenia marked 32 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Over the years, the two nations have maintained a trusting dialogue at high and top levels, fostering mutually beneficial cooperation in a multilateral format. Slovenian presidents have visited Kazakhstan three times—in September 2002, November 2009, and December 2010.
"Slovenia, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, has established itself as a principled and responsible ‘navigator’ on international security issues. The exchange of views on key security issues, including those in Europe and the Middle East, cannot be ruled out," Sadykov commented.
In 2010, Slovenia supported Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE. Slovenia’s leadership was among the first to back Kazakhstan’s bid to host the OSCE Summit in Astana and the international exhibition EXPO 2017 in the Kazakh capital. Additionally, Slovenia endorsed Kazakhstan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2017–2018 and for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for 2022–2024.
In return, Kazakhstan voted in favor of Slovenia’s membership in the IAEA Board of Governors for 2021–2022.
In July 2023, the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan established a friendship group for cooperation with the Slovenian Parliament. Similarly, a friendship group for cooperation with Kazakhstan was formed in Slovenia’s Parliament.
On November 27, 2024, the third round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Slovenia was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, diplomats discussed political cooperation, trade and economic relations, and cultural and humanitarian ties.
Joint ventures and business forum
Kazakhstan and Slovenia may seem distant from each other at first glance—geographically, economically, and politically. One is the largest economy in Central Asia, rich in natural resources. The other is a small yet highly technological European country with strong positions in innovation and sustainable development. However, there is significant potential for developing bilateral economic relations, particularly in infrastructure, energy, and digital solutions.
"Slovenia is recognized as one of the key innovation hubs in Europe. Kazakhstan is actively modernizing its economy, and Slovenia could become an excellent partner in this transformation," says Bekzhan Sadykov.
The two countries have an intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation. Since 2014, at the initiative of entrepreneurs from both nations, the Kazakhstan-Slovenia Business Club (KSBC) has been established to expand business cooperation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, 19 enterprises with Slovenian capital are registered in Kazakhstan, particularly in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, engineering, and telecommunications (KRKA, Gorenje, Lek, BisolGroup, DUOL, Iskratel). Of these, 8 are joint ventures, and 11 are fully Slovenian-owned companies.
On April 1, 2025, the Kazakhstan-Slovenia business forum will take place in Astana to discuss bilateral economic cooperation opportunities. Experts believe that the central topics of discussion will include the creation of new logistics routes and the development of "green" technologies.
"Considering Slovenia’s geographical location and the importance of its port infrastructure in the Mediterranean (for example, the capacity of Slovenia’s Port of Koper is continuously growing), there is potential for the development of infrastructure and the establishment of sustainable logistics routes. In my view, this will be a central theme of one of the key events of the visit—the Kazakhstan-Slovenia business forum. Slovenia is one of the most environmentally oriented countries in the EU. However, Slovenian businesses should be aware that Kazakhstan’s ‘green’ technology market is still in its early development phase," notes an expert from KazISS.
$36 million in investments into Kazakhstan
The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Slovenia from January to December 2024 amounted to $105.7 million, which is 5.2% lower than the same period in the previous year ($111.5 million).
However, Kazakhstan’s exports to Slovenia more than doubled in 2024, reaching $5.7 million.
The main goods exported from Kazakhstan to Slovenia include plywood, various food products, buckwheat, millet, other cereals, shellac, natural resins, as well as titanium and titanium products.
Meanwhile, imports to Kazakhstan from Slovenia decreased by 8.1%, totaling $99.9 million.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, from 2005 to 2024, the total direct investment flow from Slovenia to Kazakhstan amounted to $36 million.
Shared historical memory
Kazakhstan and Slovenia share a common historical memory of the fight against fascism during World War II. In the Slovenian town of Trnovo, a memorial to Soviet soldiers has been erected, featuring commemorative plaques with the names of fallen Kazakh soldiers.
In October 2018, a solemn gathering was held in the village of Povir in memory of the Kazakh hero Kasse Sebero, who died in the fight against fascism in 1943. The same year, a memorial plaque was unveiled with the inscription: "Despite the distance, your immortal feat will remain in the memory of your people!", and a capsule with soil from Kazakhstan’s National Pantheon was laid.
Cultural ties
Since 2015, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Slovenia has been implementing the project “Pearls of Kazakhstan – Melodies of the Great Steppe.” Within the framework of this project, concerts have been held in Slovenia by the ensemble of the Kazakh National University of Arts, led by Kazakhstan’s national artists, including Ayman Musakhodzhaeva and Dimash Qudaibergen.
In April 2023, as part of their world tour, the ethno-folk ensemble "Turan" performed in the town of Šmarješke Toplice. In July 2023, the Astana Opera Ballet Company performed in Ljubljana.
It is worth noting that the upcoming visit of the President of Slovenia marks an important step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, reflecting a shared commitment to stability and economic growth.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported on the official visit of Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar to Kazakhstan.
