He called for a direct flight connection and a mixed commission for cooperation as the first steps in this direction.

Speaking to the STA on the sidelines of a Slovenian business forum, al-Mansuri highlighted tourism, logistics and new technologies and the opportunity for Slovenian companies to use Dubai as a hub in the Persian Gulf.

The precondition is that the two countries coordinate their points of interest and start working on them strategically. He praised the approach taken in Dubai by Slovenia and his Slovenian counterpart Zdravko Počivalšek.

As a former transport minister, al-Mansuri also sees an opportunity for cooperation between the port of Koper and ports in the UAE. Luka Koper plans to become the main transport hub between the south and north of Europe, which is very interesting for entrepreneurs in the UAE, he said.

Počivalšek and al Mansuri signed before the business forum a letter of intent for Slovenia's participation in the Expo 2020, to be hosted by the UAE. Al Mansuri pointed out that the UAE will invest a lot into the project and that Slovenia can gain a lot.

Počivalšek, who started a two-day visit on Wednesday together with a strong business delegation, highlighted at the forum the investment opportunities in Slovenia, mentioning among other things the financing of a second rail track to the Koper port and of hydro power plants on the Sava river.

Gorazd Mihelič of the SPIRIT investment promotion agency pointed to favourable business conditions in Slovenia, the country's qualified labour force and also to opportunities to participate in the ongoing privatisation.