Foreign policy vision and priorities the focus of Maltese Ambassadors’ annual meeting

Malta’s foreign policy must ultimately serve to ensure that Maltese people live in greater security, stability, peace, prosperity, and happiness through the promotion of the country’s interests overseas and the strengthening of its international influence, Minister Carmelo Abela told the 2018 Ambassadors’ Meeting.

The annual conference, themed ‘Reaching Out’, was held in St Julian’s on 31 May and 1 June and brought together Malta’s ambassadors and high commissioners. The conference accredited to other countries to look back at the past year’s achievements, exchange ideas, and best practice, while refocusing next year’s foreign policy priorities.

Referring to British PM Theresa May’s remarks in respect to Malta’s recent two-and-a-half-year tenure as chair-in-office of the Commonwealth, the minister affirmed that the size of a country does not limit its ambition and impact. “When we enjoy moral authority, and take on a global leadership role, we manage to bring about changes far more reaching than our territory or population.”

Minister Abela mentioned Malta’s first Permanent Representative to the United Nations Arvid Pardo, whose ground-breaking initiative in the 1960s to consider seabed resources as the common heritage of mankind, brought about the most significant treaty to ever be negotiated under UN auspices.

He also mentioned former PM Dom Mintoff’s successful singlehanded campaign at the Conference on Security and Cooperation (CSCE) in the 1970s to include the Mediterranean region in the measures that were being taken to promote peace and security in Europe.

The Foreign Minister spoke about how Malta continued to strengthen its place in the European Union whilst diligently preparing for postBrexit. He also referred to Malta’s successful stint as the Commonwealth’s chair-in-office and Malta’s candidature to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2023-24. The minister announced that in July he will present Malta’s Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

With reference to the Official Development Assistance, Minister Abela said Malta is confident that this aid to developing countries as a form of direct investment in their people, institutions, and societies, will succeed in helping them build the necessary capacity to pursue a more sustainable, less dependent form of development which would also open new trade and investment opportunities.

The imminent opening of a Maltese High Commission in Ghana and the nomination of a non-resident Maltese ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, are a clear affirmation of Malta’s intention to further contribute to development efforts and promote trade opportunities in the region. The same can be said in respect of Malta’s application for membership of the International Organisation of La Francophonie - expected to open more doors for the country in Africa.

Another achievement this past year was Malta’s accession to the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and the country’s continued work on migration policy. Malta also took over the cochair of the 5+5 Western Mediterranean Dialogue Process while continuing to work with Libya and other partner countries in a bid to see its neighbouring country making strides towards stability and security.

Minister Abela expressed satisfaction with managing to meet several of his counterparts worldwide during his first year, adding that these meetings also helped strengthen trade relations now that the Foreign Affairs Ministry includes trade promotion, with Trade Malta having organised several successful trade missions in the past 11 months. It was also important to visit several communities of Maltese living abroad. “While striving to strengthen our ties, we are also reorientating our relationship with entrepreneurs of Maltese descent living abroad to encourage trade between them and entrepreneurs based in Malta.”

The Ambassadors’ Meeting included a speech by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and presentations on pertinent matters including commercial diplomacy, the UN Reform, the Middle East Peace Process, the regulation of Blockchain, the implementation of Malta’s foreign policy, communicating about Malta with international media, Malta’s candidature to the UNSC, Brexit, Sub-Saharan Africa, crisis management, attracting film and TV productions to Malta, and a new app designed by the ministry to assist Maltese nationals while traveling abroad.

During the meeting, Minister Abela presented Ambassador Saviour F. Borg with the Alfred Zarb Award for lifelong diplomatic achievement. Having joined the Maltese foreign service in 1977, Ambassador Borg has served in many roles and countries including New York, Geneva, and China.