Speaker of the House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia has received Ms Vanessa Frazier, Malta’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
Vanessa Frazier elaborated on Malta’s candidacy to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2023-2024, following Malta’s first stint in 1983-84. She said that Malta and Switzerland are the only two Western European and Others Group (WEOG) candidates for 2023-24. Although this election, so far, is uncontested, Malta still needs to obtain a two thirds majority of the votes of the General Assembly (129 positive votes), of which election will be held in June of 2022.
Ambassador Frazier referred to the overriding principles which will lead Malta’s preparations and tenure, namely Security, Sustainability and Solidarity. She highlighted Malta’s priority themes which focus on a number of important cross-cutting issues, namely Women, Peace and Security, Children in Armed Conflict, Climate and Oceans, and Literacy.
Ambassador Frazier spoke about the preparations and the ongoing campaign for this important event. She said that this would provide Malta with a unique opportunity to play an important role in the Mediterranean region as, during its tenure on the UNSC, Malta would form part of the decision-making body and would have a real role on issues such as Libya, the Middle East, Syria and Iran, amongst others.
Speaker Farrugia expressed his appreciation to Ambassador Frazier for the hard work that she and her team are doing to achieve this prestigious post for Malta. He augured that this hard work would bear fruit and would lead to Malta eventually occupying a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
At the beginning of the courtesy visit, Ambassador Vanessa Frazier presented to Speaker Farrugia some of Malta’s UNSC merchandise, the campaign brochure and a UNSC pullup poster which will be exhibited in the Parliamentary building.