Message from Maria Camilleri Calleja – Ambassador of Malta to the UAE, Permanent Representative of Malta to IRENA
Malta Day in the UAE is not simply a commemoration of Malta’s Independence; it is also a moment to reflect on the enduring friendship between Malta and the United Arab Emirates. This is a relationship built on mutual respect, shared values, and a common vision for the future: a partnership that continues to grow in strength and scope.
Since the opening of Malta’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2021, our small but energetic mission has welcomed no fewer than 71 visiting delegations. Remarkably, 36 of these visits were led at the highest levels: at presidential, prime minister, or ministerial level. The amount of interaction demonstrates the unprecedented amplification of relations between our two countries. The pace of exchanges is proof that Malta and the UAE view one another as important partners with whom cooperation is both meaningful and mutually rewarding.
This year, we are particularly gratified to highlight a milestone in our relationship: the convening of the first session of the Malta-UAE Joint Commission, held in April 2025. This landmark meeting has opened 14 new avenues of cooperation, spanning judiciary reform, healthcare, e-government, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and the digital economy. It marks a deepening of ties beyond traditional diplomacy and trade, showing how Malta and the UAE are collaborating on areas that shape the future of societies.
Numbers also tell a powerful story. Trade between Malta and the UAE has witnessed unprecedented growth. Imports from the UAE to Malta in 2024 rose by an impressive 122% compared to pre-pandemic 2019, while Maltese exports to the UAE increased by 115% over the same period. For the past two years, 2023 and 2024, the UAE consecutively stood as Malta’s largest export partner in the Gulf region. These statistics are not just figures: they represent new opportunities, stronger business links, and the growing trust between our nations.
On the wider European stage, Malta’s role as a member of the European Union adds further value to this partnership. Malta is proud to support the ongoing negotiations for both a bilateral EU-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and a EU-UAE Strategic Partnership Agreement. These initiatives promise to expand the political and economic dimensions of our relationship, ensuring that our cooperation resonates not just bilaterally but across regions.
Tourism also plays a central role in people-to-people connections. Here, the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), represented in the UAE by AVIAREPS, has been instrumental in promoting Malta as a destination. The support of various airlines connecting our two countries has been invaluable, and a particularly notable step forward came last March, when the MTA and Emirates Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement strengthens inbound tourism through collaborative marketing efforts: an achievement that deserves special recognition.
Equally crucial is the role of Cultural Diplomacy, which allows the Embassy to showcase Malta’s creativity and heritage. At 2025 Malta Day in the UAE, guests have the privilege to experience the outstanding photography of Lorenzo Agius and the musical talents of Kevin Paul Calleja, both of whom bring Malta’s vibrant artistic spirit to life.
Looking ahead, on 26 October, the Embassy of Malta, together with the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, will present the exhibition and performance “Faces and Voices of Malta – a Mediterranean Odyssey.” This project, supported by Malta’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Arts Council Malta, further strengthens cultural ties while celebrating Maltese identity.
On the global stage, Malta remains a committed and principled actor in multilateral diplomacy. Our work within the United Nations Security Council in 2023-2024, alongside the UAE, as well as within the OSCE in 2024, and this year 2025, within the Council of Europe, reflects our unwavering focus on upholding sovereignty, promoting accountability, combatting impunity and protecting the vulnerable, especially children in armed conflict. Malta’s Presidency of the Council of Europe during this current year underscores this commitment, most notably through the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
In September, Malta further affirmed its principled foreign policy by formally recognising the State of Palestine during the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly. This decision was deeply rooted in Malta’s own history and identity as a nation that has endured the horrors of conflict and emerged as a Champion for Peace.
Indeed, 2025 marks 460 years since the Great Siege of Malta and 80 years since the end of World War II: two anniversaries that remind us of the brutality of war, and of Malta’s duty to advocate for peace, justice, and human dignity.
For Malta, Independence Day is not merely about celebrating sovereignty. It is also about celebrating the freedom to expand partnerships grounded in mutual respect and shared aspirations.
As we look to the future, Malta and the UAE are poised to continue growing together: bilaterally, inter-regionally, and globally. Together, we will contribute to peace, prosperity, tolerance, and understanding.
On this 2025 Malta Day, we celebrate not just the birth of a nation, but also the blossoming of a friendship destined to leave a lasting mark on both our peoples.
