The MoU discusses the strategic themes of the National Digital Strategy 2014-2020 of Malta, which aims to increase awareness of the latest technologies, implement the pilot projects of these technologies with a commitment to realise at least one pilot/proof of concept on IoT and enhance digital literacy among the Maltese population.

On the one hand, Vodafone will be assisting with the transfer of international expertise and know-how. The company will also provide internship opportunities for students and startups.

“This MoU, therefore, cements our commitment toward driving innovation in Malta by leveraging on our international expertise and resources, and stands testament to our commitment to playing a strategic role in being part of Malta’s national digital and innovation strategy,” said Sonia Hernandez, Vodafone Malta CEO.

“I would also like to see more of Vodafone Malta as a house of talent, with more inflow and outflow of talent coming to Malta to learn and experiment, and also to take Maltese talent abroad,” said Serpil Timuray, Vodafone Europe Cluster CEO.

On the other hand, the government will assist with the promotion of training programmes among public sector employees, in addition to upgrading educational content to reflect more current technologies, the press statement says. 

In addition, the government will carry out digital promotional activities, as well as assist with the organisation of awareness campaigns and training programmes for the benefit of citizens and the business community. The government says it will also help identify business areas and use cases within the government where emerging technologies may be piloted, according to the press release. 

“Smart parking in Luqa will be the first such project, which will seek to improve energy efficiency in transport, improve travel awareness among road users, as well as reduce journey times,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri. “The installation of sensors in parking spaces will be connected to an app and will be accessible for everyone through their phones,” he added

“Vodafone is the ideal partner to launch such ambitious plans with. The company thrives to bring its customers the best possible services. This MOU is not just about pilot projects, but also about increasing awareness of disruptive technologies. This country prides itself on embracing innovation,” added Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. 

The post Vodafone Malta vows to promote latest technologies first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

This state visit was a follow-up meeting to the visit the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic paid to Malta last August when the two leaders discussed matters related to immigration.

“Cooperation between Malta and the Czech Republic, as well as the good relations between the two countries and on a personal level between the two prime ministers, is the essence of the European Union,” said Mr Muscat. “Despite the many different features between Malta and the Czech Republic, sitting around a table helped us to understand each other better,” Mr Muscat added.

In addition, he explained that this year marks the 20th anniversary since the first direct flight between the two countries. Mr Muscat also underscored the importance of continuing the development of these connections.

Mr Babiš acknowledged the similarities between the two countries; that both countries joined the European Union at the same time and also that both Malta and the Czech Republic have open economies, as the press release says. Consequently, he announced that a business delegation will be sent to Malta to explore further potential business cooperation especially in the fields of innovative technologies and education.

In addition, Mr Babiš noted that 22,000 tourists travel from the Czech Republic to Malta on a yearly basis, according to the press release.

The post Maltese, Czech PMs discuss ties and cooperation first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The award was based on an independent survey on a representative sample of the Maltese population carried out by the Swiss organisation International Certification Association (ICERTIAS). 

ICERTIAS measures the experience and satisfaction of consumers regarding the price-quality ratio of marketed products and services. The questions in the Best Buy Award research were open-ended. Therefore, the results represent the personal experience and perception of the consumers, as the press release says.   

“Melita has consistently led the way in delivering quality internet services in Malta, recently becoming the first and only operator to offer 1,000 Mbps speeds nationwide. Our commitment to delivering the best quality broadband internet service is also matched by our commitment to offering great value to customers, something which this Best Buy award clearly recognises,” said Mireille Muscat, Head of Marketing at Melita. “I’d like to pass my thanks to all our customers who took the time to give feedback on our internet service, leading to Melita receiving this award.”

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Ryanair hopes to expand its presence in Malta with the transaction and access non-European Union markets — such as North Africa — from Malta.

Following the transaction, Ryanair will switch six Malta-based aircraft — worth over $600m (€530m+) — to the Maltese register, move a crew of 200 under the Maltese jurisdiction on contract hence paying taxes in the island nation, create over 350 jobs and brand its Malta-based fleet with Malta Air livery as of the summer of 2020.

As a second step, Ryanair will also move aircraft from France, Italy and Germany onto the Malta AOC, hoping to raise the number of aircraft based in Malta to ten in the upcoming three years. Ryanair expects this to allow crews to pay their income taxes locally in France, Italy and Germany instead of Ireland where they are currently required to pay income taxes under Ryanair’s Irish AOC.

“Ryanair is pleased to welcome Malta Air to the Ryanair Group of airlines which now includes Buzz (Poland), Lauda (Austria), Malta Air, and Ryanair (Ireland),” said Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary today, speaking in Malta.

Connecting Europe

The CEO also praised the partnership with the Malta Tourism Authority, which “will help drive forward the vision of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and tourism minister Konrad Mizzi to grow year-round connections to all corners of Europe which will support increased tourism, business and jobs in Malta,” Mr O’Leary said.

“Ryanair appreciates the expertise of the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate (CAD) in licencing Malta Air to operate the B737 aircraft and we look forward to working closely with the Maltese authorities over the coming years as we hope to add over 50 more aircraft to the Maltese register,” the Ryanair CEO added.

“The relationship between Ryanair and Malta has evolved into a successful collaboration. We welcome Ryanair’s commitment to operate and grow a fully fledged Malta-based airline which will contribute in a large way to the country’s development,” Malta’s Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi said.

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