Slovene Enterprise Fund in Vienna at Two Key Conferences on Hydrogen and International Development Cooperation
Date of publication: 16.04.2026
The conferences were also attended by the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the UN, OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna, while the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, together with its representatives, brought representatives of companies and institutions involved in the Global Partnership for Hydrogen in Industry.
The United Nations Conference on Hydrogen in Industry was held for the first time and, with more than 300 participants from over 70 countries, confirmed its distinctly international character.
The SEF Director moderated a panel at the conference on establishing a resilient hydrogen supply chain for industrial transformation, which included representatives from Algeria, Ecuador, China, France and Austria.
The key message of the conference was that hydrogen development goes beyond mere production—the focus is on creating local added value, developing demand, and strengthening industry both in the Global South and North, while geopolitics simultaneously influences energy flows.
In parallel, the 3rd Regional Conference for Emerging Development Partners in the European Union was held under the title “Strengthening Partnerships, Showcasing Results and Increasing Impact”. Representatives from nine EU countries, including Slovenia, participated with the aim of reviewing progress and shaping further directions for cooperation with UNIDO.
UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller emphasized that cooperation is increasingly moving from the dialogue phase to concrete results—with new projects, growing partnerships and strengthening innovation ecosystems. Similarly, Carl Christian Hallergård, Head of the European Union Delegation to UNIDO, stressed that EU countries are increasingly acting as providers of knowledge, innovation and solutions, and together with UNIDO are developing investment-ready programs.
Slovenia presented its expanding portfolio of projects, particularly in the Western Balkans, in the areas of industrial development, circular economy, digital transformation and innovation support, and highlighted the new ScaleX initiative.
In conclusion, Fatou Haidara, Deputy Director General and Director of the Directorate for Global Partnerships and External Relations at UNIDO, emphasized that cooperation is becoming increasingly in-depth, practically oriented and based on the active role of countries in knowledge and technology transfer.
Participants agreed that the next step is the transition from planning to implementation—with emphasis on scaling up successful models, strengthening partnerships and mobilizing additional resources.
Both conferences confirmed that Slovenia is actively co-creating international initiatives in the field of green transition and industrial development and remains an important partner in global efforts for a sustainable and innovative future.
