NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 1 – Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar is set to join Kenyans in Homa Bay on Sunday for Madaraka Day celebrations, where she will speak as a special guest at the invitation of President William Ruto.
Speaking ahead of the national celebrations, President Musar expressed deep gratitude for the invitation, calling it an unexpected but touching honor.
“I will try to reveal the soul of the Slovenian people to your people tomorrow,” she said.
“I am looking forward to spending three marvelous days in Kenya.”
Addressing the media at State House, Nairobi on Saturday alongside President Ruto, Musar strongly backed Kenya’s international leadership, especially in advancing multilateralism, peace, and sustainable development.
“I’m more than happy to be here because of one important thing: both President Ruto and I believe deeply in multilateralism,” she said.
“We must work together, especially within the UN system, to address crises from Europe to the Middle East and Africa, including the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
She said Slovenia and Kenya would continue their collaboration in global forums, including the UN General Assembly in New York this September and COP30 in Brazil, where climate action will be central.
Reforestation, innovation and cooperation
President Musar hailed Kenya’s reforestation goal of planting 15 billion trees as “a gift not just to Kenya but to the entire planet.”
She also praised the Space-SI satellite collaboration, which supports flood prediction and river tracking, describing it as a model for environmental monitoring through innovation.
She expressed optimism about scaling up cooperation in artificial intelligence, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and water management, noting that Slovenian firms are already working on ways to improve water efficiency in Kenya.
“Innovation is always the door to progress. Kenyan people are innovative, and Slovenian people are innovative,” she said.
“Let’s see what we can achieve together.”
Shared vision for global equity
President Ruto welcomed Slovenia’s support, describing the visit as a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
He emphasized the need to reform global institutions to reflect 21st-century realities.
“We acknowledged that the multilateral system must evolve to ensure greater equity, inclusivity, and accountability,” Ruto said.
“We reaffirmed the importance of Africa having permanent representation in the Security Council and discussed the need for a more inclusive and responsive international financial system.”
He also highlighted Kenya’s preparations to host the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in July, where both nations aim to champion fairer global financing mechanisms.
President Musar extended an invitation to President Ruto to visit Slovenia, reinforcing a growing spirit of partnership between Nairobi and Ljubljana.
