Minister Vella represents Malta at the Global Summit to end sexual violence in conflict

Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr George Vella is represented Malta in a Global Summit in London, jointly chaired by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Angelina Jolie.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr George Vella is represented Malta in a Global Summit in London, jointly chaired by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Angelina Jolie.

This conference aimed to bring together world leaders in order to raise greater global awareness on sexual violence in conflict and change how the international community perceives and responds to this phenomenon.

The Summit delivered a set of practical agreements that focus on the efforts of the whole international community. The main outcome was the launch of an International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in conflict. The Protocol is focused on the documentation and investigation of crimes of sexual and gender-based violence under criminal law and seeks to have a meaningful impact on prevention and accountability for crimes of sexual violence. Malta, which was one of the 117 countries attending, will be an initial signatory of the Protocol.

During the Summit, Dr Vella also met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana Hanna SerwaaTetteh. The ministers discussed the forthcoming Malta Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2015, an early signature of a Double Taxation Agreement and the strengthening of bilateral relations in several other fields, including migration.

The possibility of setting up a Joint Commission was mooted, with both sides agreeing that this could help foster even deeper relations between the two countries.