We are very pleased to have signed a preliminary agreement with the Government of Malta for the purchase of land in Ta’ Qali to build a new American Embassy. Since the agreement was announced, many Maltese have asked me why the United States was building a new embassy in Malta and what the new US Embassy would entail. In my own words, here are some answers that will hopefully clarify any concerns readers have.

The United States and Malta have long enjoyed strong relations. In 1964, shortly after Malta’s independence, our two countries established full diplomatic relations. Some of you surely remember the first US Embassy buildings in Valletta and then in Sliema. In 1974 we moved to our current location in St Anne Street in Floriana. The locality has been a wonderful host. Whether we go to a local café for lunch, do afternoon shopping, or get a haircut at a neighbourhood stylist, Floriana has become a sort of home for generations of both American diplomats and the many Maltese who have worked at the Embassy.

Why are we moving? First, after 30 years in the same building, we are looking to have a more functional

and modern facility. Other embassies in Malta have changed locations in recent years for many of the same reasons. Certainly anyone who has visited the current US Embassy will attest that our space has limitations. For example, in our Consular section, we have restricted ability to conduct visa interviews discreetly. Our new Embassy building will include a consular waiting and interview room with a more pleasant environment and will offer more private settings for visitors to speak with American Consular officers. We will also have more comfortable offices for our Maltese and American employees and better public facilities to make the place more visitor friendly.

The second motivation is to upgrade safety. In the wake of the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the US Congress mandated that the United States State Department step-up safety measures at all US diplomatic missions around the world. Since 1998, construction has finished or is in progress at 50 US missions, more new buildings than in any period of US diplomatic history. Tunisia, Germany, Greece, China, Barbados, Jamaica, and Croatia, to name a few, all have new US Embassy buildings, and the new embassy for Malta is part of this project.

What will our new building entail? We will use the new premises to perform the same range of diplomatic functions that we have undertaken in Malta since 1964. The larger space will enable us to have an embassy that is not only more comfortable, but one that is built with the safety of employees, visitors, and neighbouring areas in mind. The US Embassy will continue to work closely with authorities to ensure that the current environment in Ta’ Qali will not be disrupted in any way, including the recreational facilities in the area.

We at the Embassy are excited at this opportunity. We are at the beginning of a project that will take several years to complete. Although we will miss our regular spots in Floriana, we will most certainly adapt to our new surroundings in Ta’ Qali. We would be very glad to hear from you about any concerns or questions you may have about this new project.

Please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Molly Bordonaro is

US Ambassador for Malta