Prime Minister Robert Abela used his New Year address to Malta's diplomatic corps to position the country as a small state determined to defend international law, multilateralism, and dialogue in an increasingly unstable world.
Speaking at the annual exchange of greetings with foreign ambassadors, Abela said Malta had spent 2025 working to uphold a rules-based international order, which he described as indispensable for small, open economies seeking stability and fairness in global relations. Malta's foreign policy, he said, had been guided by the need to revive respect for international law, agreed norms, and multilateral cooperation at a time when all three were under strain.
The Prime Minister referred to several global flashpoints where these principles were being tested. In Venezuela, he said Malta was closely following developments and supported a peaceful, negotiated and democratic outcome. He also reaffirmed Malta's position on Russia's war against Ukraine, stressing that unity among international partners remained essential in the search for a just and lasting peace.
Malta, Abela said, continued to support Ukraine in close coordination with its European partners while respecting the country's constitutional neutrality. At the most recent European Council, Malta had insisted that all measures adopted by the European Union must be legally sound and reinforce the credibility of Europe's collective support for Kyiv.
The Middle East, he said, would remain a central focus of Malta's foreign policy in the coming months. Abela pointed to the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and the growing concerns over Palestinians living in the West Bank as reasons behind Malta's decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine in September 2025. That step, he said, was fundamental but insufficient on its own. The international community must urgently work towards a political horizon for the Palestinian people, because violence and death could only deepen hatred and make mutual understanding impossible.
Within the European Union, Abela said Malta had consistently advocated for peace, dialogue, and humanitarian action while safeguarding its constitutional and sovereign principles. He expressed hope that the EU would emerge stronger and more competitive in the months ahead, both for the Union as a whole and for its individual member states.
The Prime Minister also highlighted Malta's recent record in multilateral diplomacy. Over the past year, the country had played a leading role within the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe as part of the OSCE Troika and as chair of the Asian Partnership for Cooperation. Malta also concluded its presidency of the Council of Europe, marking 60 years of membership.
Among the most significant outcomes of that presidency, Abela said, was the signing of the agreement establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine and the approval of a draft convention creating an International Claims Commission for Ukraine. Malta also hosted the signing of the Valletta Protocol by 16 states and secured unanimous agreement on political declarations on children's rights, youth empowerment, and judicial cooperation.
These achievements, he said, showed that multilateralism remains effective and that even small states can influence international change when they work through collective institutions.
Abela then turned to domestic policy, linking Malta's international outlook to its long-term national planning. He announced that Malta Vision 2050, a comprehensive development strategy, would be launched in the coming weeks. The plan, he said, aims to build a safe and resilient nation rooted in heritage, driven by innovation, and focused on quality of life and social inclusion.
Concluding, the Prime Minister thanked the diplomatic community for its cooperation and friendship, inviting them to continue working with Malta as it pursues both international engagement and long-term national development.
The Labour Party exchanges greetings with the Diplomatic Corps
During the exchange of greetings with the Diplomatic Corps at the Labour Party Headquarters, Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party, Robert Abela said that the Labour Party has strengthened its role within the global progressive family through its membership in Socialist International, Mediterranean structures and through efforts to encourage greater participation of women in politics.
Abela stated that the Labour Party is founded on solidarity, equality, and social justice in order to build a fairer and more inclusive world. He recalled how, over the past 13 years of Labour Government, Malta has undergone a major transformation, turning economic stagnation into prosperity through the creation of new economic niches, boosting innovation and adopting a resilient, future oriented growth model. He mentioned that, through stronger pensions, increases in children's allowance, unprecedented support during the COVID-19 pandemic, energy subsidies, free childcare, free public and school transport, financial support for enterprises, start-ups, and research, progressive governance has been created.
He stressed the importance of commitment to civil liberties achieved through decisive reforms on gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights and increased efforts against gender-based violence. The Prime Minister said that the Labour government guarantees that Malta's voice is heard on the international scene. Labour Party's International Secretary John Grech said that neutrality is at the core of his agenda, which ensures refuge to those in need, acting as a mediator for dialogue, and the promotion of peace.