Director-General Political, External Relations
and European Affairs
Amb. Fiona J.
Formosa
The
Directorate-General focuses its efforts on ensuring that Malta’s foreign policy
objectives on bilateral and regional issues are pursued, not least through
active participation in the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP) as well as other fora. These efforts include the preparation of
positions for interventions at the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), the relevant
Council structures, including working group meetings. The DG is sub-divided
into two Directorates, one dealing with European Affairs and another with
External Relations and Mediterranean Affairs.
Director External Relations and Mediterranean Affairs
Mr Claude Bonello
Assistant Director External Relations and Mediterranean Affairs
Vacant
External Relations and Mediterranean Affairs Directorate
Malta’s relations
with non-European countries and its position on a number of international
political issues are co-ordinated by the External Relations and Mediterranean
Affairs Directorate. Such positions are also expressed, where appropriate, at
the EU level within the relevant Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
structures.
In the regional
context, active participation in the Euro-Mediterranean Process, now
transformed into the Union for the Mediterranean incorporating the
participation of all littoral Mediterranean States, and designed to serve as an
engine for the implementation of practical projects, remains a top priority.
Malta’s involvement in other regional fora and initiatives of direct relevance
to the Mediterranean region, namely the European Neighbourhood Policy, the
Western Mediterranean (5+5) Dialogue and the Union for the Mediterranean are
likewise co-ordinated by the Directorate.
In consonance with
the Ministry’s strategic objective of strengthening bilateral relations,
particularly with neighbouring countries, the Directorate continues to actively
nurture Malta’s external relations on a bilateral level while ensuring focus on
matters of direct interest. The Directorate focuses largely on Malta’s
relations with its immediate neighbours, and others further afield such as the
United States, Russia and China with whom Malta has traditionally always
enjoyed very good relations. The
Directorate is also responsible for Malta’s political relations with African
countries and the African Union, as well as for monitoring developments
in the Middle East.
Director European Affairs
Ms Annabelle Shawish Mifsud
Assistant Director European Affairs
Vacant
European Affairs Directorate
The Directorate
European Affairs manages Malta’s overall bilateral relations with the Member
States of the European Union. It is also responsible for Malta’s links with
Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, N. Macedonia, Iceland, Kosovo,
Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland and
Turkey as well as with the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of St.
John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.
The main objective
of this Directorate is to create, maintain and enhance strong and mutually
beneficial ties with all these countries. Its role is to formulate and
coordinate national policy in their regard so that Malta’s interests are best
protected whilst its relations with its European neighbours are kept at their
best possible level. The Directorate also manages official high-level visits to
and from partner European countries, coordinating and helping in their
organisation as required.
The Directorate
European Affairs spearheads the Ministry’s bilateral European initiatives,
promoting mutually advantageous exchanges at all levels and helping set in
place agreements that regulate matters of everyday importance for the people of
Malta and those of its European interlocutors.
In addition
relations with the Western Balkans states, including the EU perspective of the
countries that are yet to open EU accession negotiations, also fall within this
Directorate’s remit.