Member of the European Parliament David Casa has been confirmed as a member of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula.

Reacting to this new role, Casa said: “We need to foster better cooperation with countries such as the United Arab Emirates. There are cases where cooperation with European authorities on international corruption and money laundering has not worked. This must change. The UAE must be more vigilant in ensuring that its financial system is not used for crime and that when it is evident that this has occurred measures are taken to ensure justice is served.”

MEP Casa specifically chose to be part of this delegation to be in a better position to continue his work on 17 Black, the secret company owned by the director of the Power Station commissioned by the current Labour government, a statement iossued by Casa's office said. Leaked documents also show that 17 Black was supposed to transfer €150,000 monthly to both Panama companies owned by the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri and Minister Konrad Mizzi.

The delegation for relations with the Arabian Peninsula is one of the "diplomatic arms of the European Parliament" and contributes to representing the European Union in the Gulf region and to promoting the values of European Union, in particular the principles of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Casa will also form part of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee where he will continue his work on the protection of journalists. Casa travelled to Istanbul in order to meet with investigative journalist Pelin Ünker who was facing charges of imprisonment following her factual reporting on the Paradise Papers. The charges against Ünker have since been dropped.

This week in Strasbourg, MEP Casa also started his work as a Quaestor of the European Parliament. He participated in the European Parliament’s Bureau Meeting as well as the College of Quaestors. Due to this new role, which makes Casa the highest ranking Maltese MEP, he had to renounce his role as EPP Group Coordinator on the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, although he will still remain active on social affairs legislation.