Foreign Ministry: Panis Appointed as Slovakia’s New Ambassador to UAE

Bratislava, 27 June (TASR) - Pavol Panis has been appointed as the new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Slovakia to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where one of his main tasks at the Slovak Embassy in Abu Dhabi will be to further develop economic cooperation between Slovakia and the UAE, the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry told TASR on Friday. Panis previously served as the Consul General in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) noted that trade between the two countries has quadrupled over the past five years, currently reaching €780 million. According to him, the United Arab Emirates represent a significant financial and commercial centre, a logistically important international transport hub, and a key partner in the Middle East region. “We therefore see great potential to be tapped in exporting Slovak cars and defence industry products, as well as in attracting investments from the United Arab Emirates into structural projects in Slovakia or in strengthening cooperation between companies in the fields of innovation and medicine,” Blanar noted. According to him, Slovakia is interested in continuing political contacts at the highest level and Slovak diplomacy is preparing an official visit of the Slovak prime minister to the United Arab Emirates. Every year, around 25,000 Slovak tourists visit the UAE, at the same time more than 3,000 Slovaks have been living there long-term. lin/mcs