Let me begin by joining my other colleagues in congratulating you, Marcelo, and your team for hosting this Meeting, which turned out to be a memorable commemoration of the 20th Anniversary since the Arraiolos Group was formed here in Portugal. Thank you and your team for the excellent organisation.
During our discussions on Ukraine this morning I had the occasion of reiterating our collective condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine – a position that my country has upheld from ‘Day 1’ and has kept consistently all along. Malta took this conviction to the highest political organ as a currently elected member of the UN Security Council.
During our discussions I also made a point that our status as a neutral country has not stopped us from taking action to tangibly assist Ukraine, in line with our Constitutional obligations. I promised that Malta will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and will continue to fully support efforts that ensure EU assistance in addressing the humanitarian situation and the rebuilding and recovery of the country and its people.
I believe that other international partners also need to be engaged on the war in Ukraine. In this context, I informed my colleagues about my meeting in Malta a few days ago with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with whom I emphasised that China, with its political and economic clout, has a very important role to play in persuading Russia to end this war.
Later on in the afternoon, we discussed the challenges that lie ahead for the European Union. I stated that the ongoing war on European soil has shown us that stability in our neighbourhoods cannot be taken for granted. And I cited as examples of how this is happening in the Southern Neighbourhood: the North African countries on the littoral Mediterranean and also in the Sahel countries.
I warned that we should avoid eventually being negatively affected or being burdened with more and more social and political problems, just for having either treated these problems lightly or, worse still, having ignored or looked the other way, avoiding facing them, let alone trying to provide solutions.
I insisted with my colleagues that commitments in this region should not be overlooked and that the prevailing instability – be it political, socio-economic, migratory – will ultimately affect Europe itself even more that it is doing now, if left unaddressed. I emphasised that the EU needs to show greater presence and more commitment in these regions.
On irregular migration, I underlined Malta’s concerns as we continue to witness increasing irregular flows towards the Union and see more human tragedies unfortunately, while smuggling networks continue to enrich themselves at the cost of human lives. We need to look for holistic solutions as part of a comprehensive partnership with countries of origin and countries of transit.
I made the point that we have to establish legal pathways for migration. We have to be the ones who decide who comes to our countries, and not leave it to the people smugglers to decide whom to send to us.
Finally, as this is my last participation in the Arraiolos Group, I take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and friends for their support all through my tenure and to wish them every success for future meetings.
Once again, thank you and well done.