The first visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg in 2025 will be to Qatar. Qatar and Malta have an insignificant trade relationship, but the visit comes as the small Gulf nation bears an increasing influence in the region.
Qatar was the only dissenting voice in the Arab League against the renormalisation of relationships with Bashar al-Assad, now exiled in Moscow. It previously supported and financed Hamas before the October 7th event, and has now dropped its support for the terrorist organisation as it shifts its weight and public discourse on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
On an international level, Qatar has become increasingly important as a major gas supplier with its gas exports surging after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Qatari government is also the owner of the Al-Jazeera which is the most popular news source in the Arab world, which is also banned by Israel.
Malta historically held good relationships with the Arab states and consistently advocated for a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.
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