On May 12 and 13, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune paid a state visit to Slovenia, bringing with him the sensitive issue of Western Sahara. In Ljubljana, after meeting with his Slovenian counterpart, Nataša Pirc Musar, Tebboune expressed satisfaction with the «total agreement between Algeria and Slovenia on all matters». He welcomed «Slovenia's position on the Western Sahara issue, in support of a solution accepted by both parties under the auspices of the United Nations, which recognizes the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination through a referendum». President Pirc Musar, for her part, made no mention of the Sahara. It is worth noting that on April 18, the Slovenian government reaffirmed that Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara «constitutes a solid basis for a definitive solution» to the regional dispute. Instead, the Slovenian president focused on economic cooperation: «Slovenia places great importance on trade relations with Algeria, particularly regarding gas supplies, which cover half of our annual consumption. We therefore welcome the signing of the supply contract for 2026 and 2027». «I am pleased with the excellent cooperation between our two countries across various sectors. We are working to further strengthen our ties, particularly in artificial intelligence, police cooperation, renewable energy, agriculture, beekeeping, as well as water and space technologies», she added. Tebboune's visit concluded with a meeting with Prime Minister Robert Golob, during which memorandums of understanding were signed covering political consultations, police cooperation, and maritime transport. According to Algerian media, the two countries also signed an agreement in the space sector for peaceful purposes. This state visit was particularly notable given Algeria's absence from the May 9 celebrations in Russia marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II—a ceremony to which President Vladimir Putin invited the leaders of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar.
