‘You, the ambassadors, are the voice of the country around the world’ – President

Ambassadors are Malta’s voice around the world and are in an ideal position to deliver accurate and correct information about how institutions work in the country. President George Vella spoke about this in his address during an ambassadors’ meeting, with the theme: ‘X’jistenna l-kobor tiegħek mill-iżgħar fost iż-żgħar?’.

The President stated that without the respect and confidence that ambassadors gain for the country at an international level, the country would not be able to fulfil its potential in strong and lasting political contacts, foreign investment, interest in the financial and digital sectors, cultural exchanges, and tourism.

He explained that this spirit should lead ambassadors to work for Malta’s success in the campaign for the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. In this regard, he mentioned a number of initiatives that Malta has taken over the years in the multilateral field and the values that the country will be bringing forward as soon as it takes this position.

A very important framework highlighted by the President and in which we are making our voice heard is that of the European Union. He mentioned how Brexit and its consequences is a crucial development for the Union, but also for our country and highlighted the importance of protecting the interests of the Maltese citizens as much as possible.

He also mentioned how Malta is making its voice heard on issues of global relevance such as Libya, the Middle East, immigration, Climate Change, and security in the Mediterranean, and reiterated the importance of strengthening relations between the European Union and the United States, China, Russia, and Turkey.

Specifically, the President mentioned the efforts being made by Malta to find a fruitful and lasting solution to the turmoil in Libya.

The President added that in Malta we have everything we need to continue to develop our foreign policy. We have proved in the past that above all we have competent and prepared individuals and peaceful goals that make sense. Therefore, the President concluded, the small size of our country should not be an obstacle to the vision and the results we are able to achieve.