Prime Minister Robert Abela gave Parliament a summary of his visit to New York and his address to the United Nations General Assembly.
During the visit, Abela said he met representatives of Delta Air Lines, who he said were working to extend their service to Malta.
He reiterated that Malta supports an international multilateral system and the upholding of the international rule of law. He also repeated his position on Ukraine’s right to sovereignty and the need for a peace process between Israel and Palestine.
Abela attended the Concordia Summit, where he said Malta’s reputation among investors remained strong and that the country was respected internationally.
He said Malta’s position as the smallest EU member state meant that connectivity was particularly important. He also outlined the government’s economic direction, although he did not provide further details.
The Prime Minister also attended a high-level meeting on children’s rights in the age of artificial intelligence.
He took part in a meeting titled “The Road Ahead”, which discussed the 20-point peace plan for the Middle East, and also attended the Crimea Summit. He additionally participated in a meeting focused on the law of the sea.
Abela said he met UN Secretary-General António Guterres and thanked him for his work.
He also held talks with BlackRock, where discussions included the Maltese economy.
Apart from meeting members of the Maltese community at the Astoria, Abela said he also visited the Aqua Roma restaurant.
Reflecting on his speech at the General Assembly, Abela said his central message was that trust in institutions is being lost, while trust between nations is also declining.
He recounted a brief encounter with the King of Jordan, who, according to Abela, spoke about the horrible conditions being experienced by Palestinian children.
The Prime Minister reiterated Malta’s belief in the right of Palestinians in Gaza to access humanitarian aid. He also said he believed Gaza should ultimately come under a new Palestinian authority.
Abela again stressed the importance of ensuring the security of undersea cables, describing their protection as increasingly important for international connectivity.
He concluded by saying that Malta would remain a sustainer of the multilateral system because it believes international institutions such as the United Nations must remain effective and have a meaningful impact.
You can watch the speech here.
Audio here.
Newsroom
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