The President of the Republic of Malta, Myriam Spiteri Debono, said on Friday that "a world ruled by force, rather than principles, would be detrimental to all countries, and especially to small states."
President Spiteri Debono addressed honorary consuls for the New Year on Friday and told them that amidst growing political instability around the world as of late, these realities underline the importance to keep investing in diplomacy, dialogue, and in institutions that support peaceful dispute resolutions.
She observed that people who work in diplomacy must continue to fully uphold and defend the values of the United Nations Charter as well as our multilateral system throughout 2026.
"History has shown that when human rights, inclusion, and understanding guide our actions, peace and prosperity flourish," the President said.
After thanking the honorary consuls for their work throughout 2025, the Maltese Head of State said that this year, "we will continue to strive to strengthen our bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation with diverse and like-minded countries." She said that this was done last year through high-level visits that help pave the way for political consultations and the signing of new bilateral agreements.
President Spiteri Debono remarked that presently, "we are facing a global environment marked by conflict, geopolitical tensions, and growing challenges to international law and human rights."
"In our immediate neighbourhood, the Mediterranean continues to be affected by instability, socio-economic inequalities, and the impact of climate change. In the Middle East, the humanitarian consequences of the protracted conflict continue and remain of great concern," she noted.
She referenced that Russia's "illegal aggression" against Ukraine is entering its fourth year, and that lasting peace that respects Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is urgently needed. Additionally, the President stressed the importance for Israel and Palestine to co-exist peacefully via a two-state solution, and that farther away from us, developments and crises in Venezuela, Africa, and elsewhere in the Middle East "highlight the fragility of international norms and the need for responsible, considered, and dialogue-friendly leadership."
The President continued that aside from geopolitical challenges, the world continues to face other global challenges such as climate change - which is intensifying insecurity and the displacement of people - and irregular immigration and emerging technologies.
She insisted that irregular immigration must not be handled in isolation, but rather, joint efforts are required to ensure that countries of origin, transit and destination are not left to handle these major issues alone. The President said that "multilateral processes must be maintained to promote safe, orderly, and regular immigration, while the humanity of immigrants must always be at the centre of our considerations."
President Spiteri Debono mentioned some diplomatic initiatives undertaken by Maltese delegations, such as holding the Presidency over the Committee of Ministers within the Council of Europe between May and November last year, as well as the launch of the Gulf Regional Policy Framework in December 2025.
The President noted that in the coming months, Malta will be launching a dedicated framework to further structure its engagement with African partners, in response to evolving regional and global realities.
"We remain committed to continuing to engage with our African partners based on partnerships and support for African-led approaches to peace, stability and development," she said.
Malta is also preparing a focused framework that aims to highlight the rich contributions of Asia and Oceania to the country's diplomatic, economic, and cultural growth.
She added that honorary consuls' work has proved very impactful on Malta's relations with the countries they represent, and that it is of great value to Maltese companies looking to expand their operations into foreign markets.