Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg announced the publication of a document that identifies the way forward for digital diplomacy in Malta’s foreign policy.
During the presentation of the document at the House of Parliament, on Friday afternoon, Borg explained that in a strategic way, this document prepares for the challenges brought by digital technologies and translates them into opportunities for peace, governance, tolerance, and prosperity in Malta and in the work of the Maltese Diplomatic Corps with the global community.
The document, ‘A Digital Diplomacy Profile for Malta’, explains how our country is confirming its commitment to being proactive in the digital world, in sectors ranging from the regulation of technological companies and the ethical use of artificial intelligence, to internet governance and cyber security.
Borg mentioned that in recent years our country has shown the determination to use its international relations to continue to uplift Malta’s name and the main agenda of the government’s foreign policy - peace and prosperity.
“We are a small country in a year when we are not only elected to the United Nations Security Council, but are also leading the OSCE, the largest regional security and cooperation organisation in the world, following a unanimous agreement between 57 countries. This is the determination that we must continue to show even when it comes to digital diplomacy. That is why we are presenting this document today, to maximise the opportunities offered by the digital era in our work at every international level,” said Minister Borg.
“Digital diplomacy also allows us to give more space to different voices when discussing important themes, such as peace efforts, the fight against intolerance and climate action, extending dialogue beyond traditional international fora, and bringing it closer to the people,” added the minister.
He also explained how strong digital diplomacy can also lead to new economic opportunities for Malta and Gozo, as it helps to promote the country’s commercial potential in a virtual way in countries where there is currently no physical representation.
Borg thanked the Maltese diplomatic corps who are working tirelessly to ensure that Malta is well prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, while playing an important role in this field, for the benefit of the citizens and the country.
The document published on Friday presents a framework of how the digital world should be integrated to holistically carry out Malta's diplomatic work. Professor Andre Xuereb, Malta’s thematic Ambassador for Digital Affairs, who led the drafting of the document, explained how the idea is for Malta to interact with every other country in the world and not just interact on a physical level but on a digital level. Therefore, this document presents a framework that will lead to how this should be done in the most effective way.
The document is available online : https://foreign.gov.mt/digital-diplomacy-online/