Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo addressed the United Nations Global Compact Leaders’ Summit, recalling the 20th anniversary since this initiative was set up.
Spanning over this Monday and Tuesday, the 26-hour virtual summit convenes leading voices from businesses, government, the United Nations, civil society and academia to discuss unprecedented global challenges and to possibly exchange solutions to respond to and recover from the humanitarian and economic shocks of the COVID-19 crisis, based on the values and principles to ‘recover better, recover stronger and recover together’.
Minister Bartolo called for a strong, coordinated multilateral response, which is crucial in addressing this global pandemic, based on the concept of solidarity. Such global challenges require global solutions in an interconnected world.
Minister Bartolo reiterated that the current crisis is a reminder that the full implementation of the Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Accord should remain our compass towards recovery.
Malta’s proactive approach on different issues at the global level were underlined by the foreign minister, particularly Malta’s appointment as a Co-Chair of the United Nation’s Steering Committee on Partnerships for Small Island Developing States. Minister Bartolo highlighted that Malta’s appointment was proof that resilience is not determined by the size of a country, and that resilience has provided Malta with unprecedented opportunities to harness further growth and prosperity.