Last Updated on Thursday, 1 June, 2023 at 8:34 pm by Andre Camilleri
Malta will continue pushing in favour of investment in clean energy through interconnectivity, and not only with European nations, but also in the Mediterranean, including North African countries.
This was the message delivered by Prime Minister Robert Abela during a meeting which formed part of the second European Political Community in Moldova.
For the summit, more than 40 leaders of European countries attended, and for the meeting on energy and connectivity, in which Malta participated, there were a number of leaders of other countries who participated – including Italy, Ireland, Cyprus and the European Commission.
PM Abela said that with investment in more connectivity in the clean energy sector, the Mediterranean region will continue reaching its potential in renewable energy, and that this would be of benefit for the whole European population.
“The Mediterranean region has the opportunity to be a centre of clean energy,” and spur the commitment of the EU in favour of sustainability, he said, taking note of the agreement made during the MED 9 summit in Malta in May.
In the context of Malta’s insularity, he noted that the maritime industry is important, not only for countries like Malta, but also spoke about the issues that the world passed through recently and how this shows that this industry remains crucial for the transport of goods.
He said that a strong effort is needed to overcome more obstacles and bureaucracy in ports to ensure that the European continent would have a strong and efficient maritime industry. He said that the sectors like the maritime sector must continue growing, but also increase their efficiency by going through the green transition.
He said that interconnectivity needs a collective commitment by the European countries, including through financing that can be brought not only through governments but also international institutions and also the private sector, which he said should be a strategic partner in projects tied to renewable energy.
In other discussions Abela had, he spoke about migration and reiterated Malta’s position n favour of a strong united effort against human trafficking. He noted that human traffickers are continuing to organise themselves and challenge the authorities. This, he said, is why there is the need for a united commitment to save people who end up victims of trafficking.
