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Malta

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Last reviewed: 14 May 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with Neighbours

Libya

Malta has strong economic ties with Libya and its North African neighbours, and works to ensure that political relations remain warm too. Regular meetings at Ministerial level with Libya cover three main areas of mutual concern: Off shore oil exploration, fisheries and illegal seaborne immigration from of sub Sharan Africans departing from Libya. Libya is an attractive market for Maltese manufacturers and services suppliers.

The Commonwealth

Malta hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (25-27 November 2005). It was opened by HM The Queen, and had the theme 'Networking the Commonwealth for Development'.

Relations with the UK

There are strong historical ties between Britain and Malta, going back to 1800, when the British Royal Navy blockaded the entrance of Grand Harbour and helped see off Napoleon. Malta remains a popular port of call for Royal Navy ships, including HMS Illustrious, which is twinned with the Three Cities (Senglea, Cospicua and Vittoriosa).

Postgraduate educational ties are strong – particularly in the professions. Family and business links are also strong. Around 500,000 British tourists visit the Maltese islands each year. The resident British population is estimated to be over 6,000.

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh returned to Malta to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in October 2007. They were last in Malta together in November 2005, and before that  in 1992 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh returned in 2001. In October 2000, President Guido de Marco made the first official visit to the UK by a Maltese President since Independence in 1964. Dr Lawrence Gonzi visited London on 23-24 October 2005, meeting the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Home Secretaries.

Recent Visits

Inward to the UK

  • Education, Youth & Employment Minister (Dr Louis Galea) – January 2005
  • Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Dr Tonio Fenech) – February 2005
  • Urban Development & Roads Minister (Dr Jesmond Mugliett) – February 2005
  • Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta (Brig. Carmel Vassallo) – February 2005
  • Commissioner of Police (John Rizzo) – March 2005
  • Family and Social Solidarity Minister (Mrs Dolores Cristina) – September 2005
  • Prime Minister (Dr Lawrence Gonzi) - October 2005
  • Education, Youth & Employment Minister (Dr Louis Galea) – January 2007
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries (Dr Fran Angius) - February 2007
  • Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Tonio Borg) – July 2007
  • Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (Dr Tonio Borg) – 20 November 2008

Outward to Malta

  • HRH The Princess Royal – September 2004
  • The Lord Mayor of London (Alderman Michael Savory) – February 2005
  • Minister for Transport (Dr Stephen Ladyman) – July 2005
  • Minister of States at the Home Office, Tony McNulty, August 2005
  • The Chief of the Air Staff (Sir Jock Stirrup) – September 2005
  • Minister for Tourism (Mr James Purnell) – October 2005
  • The Prime Minister and Mrs Cherie Blair, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary (the Rt Hon Jack Straw), the Secretary of State for International Development (the Rt Hon Hilary Benn) and the FCO Minister for the Commonwealth (Lord Triesman) visit for CHOGM – November 2005
  • United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer (Sir Liam Donaldson) – November 2006
  • Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott MP, April 2007
  • HM the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh private visit, November 2007

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