RIYADH: Trade and economic ties between Saudi Arabia and Slovenia are expected to improve following a meeting between the Kingdoms’ Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim and Slovenia’s Minister of Digital Transformation Emilija Stojmenova Duh. The ministers held talks on the sidelines of the recent World Economic Forum summit in Tianjin, China. The pair discussed potential areas of cooperation between both countries and analyzed ways to address issues of common interest, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia and Slovenia already have strong trade ties, with exports from the European country to the Kingdom increasing at an annualized rate of 7.9 percent, from $18.4 million in 1995 to $133 million in 2021, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity trade data platform. The Kingdom exported goods worth $352 million to Slovenia in 2021, which included refined petroleum worth $320 million, ethylene polymers worth $9.26 million and propylene polymers worth $3.36 million. Goods coming from Slovenia included sawn wood worth $24.3 million and packaged medicaments worth $18.2 million. The diplomatic ties have also matured over the years. On June 25, King Salman congratulated Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar on her country’s Statehood Day. In November 2022, a 50-member delegation from Slovenia visited Saudi Arabia to explore potential investment opportunities in the Kingdom. During the visit, representatives of 50 companies from various sectors met with business leaders in the Kingdom at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers.