“The time has come for our country’s destiny to be written and for us to start living it at its very best, for ourselves and for our children” – Prime Minister Robert Abela
- The Prime Minister launches a long-term plan for our country — Malta Vision 2050 — following a wide consultation process
- The six flagship projects and the final 100 measures of Malta Vision 2050 are announced
- The website maltavision.mt is launched, through which the implementation of these measures will be tracked
At Tritons’ Square, the Prime Minister Robert Abela officially launched the Malta Vision 2050. The Prime Minister described this Vision as a promise made by everyone. He said, “A promise that we will do our very best to be the best we can be.” He stressed that the Malta Vision 2050 has been shaped by all of us and will continue to be kept alive so that it remains relevant throughout the years.
“The time has come for a new era of achievement, the pinnacle of our times, in which we meet the best version of ourselves. The time has come for our country’s destiny to be written, and for us to begin living it at its very best, for ourselves and for our children,” said Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Dr Abela reiterated that this plan for the next 24 years is the result of studies, analysis as well as local and international experience, so that we can turn the challenges of the future into the foundation for the continued success of our country. He stressed that the world is changing at a rapid pace, hence we cannot keep planning on a five-year basis, that is, only up to one political cycle. Instead, a comprehensive plan is needed, and the Malta Vision 2050 is precisely the first comprehensive plan our country has.
He noted that as a country we have already achieved great miracles, describing Malta as an economic engine that is among the best economies in Europe, full of opportunities. The Prime Minister added that it is because of our success that we can move to the next level. Now is the time for a new phase of achievement. “After we strengthened the economy, we now want all of us together to enter a new chapter in the history of this country that is so dear to us,” said Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Vision Malta 2050 is based on one mission, four pillars, three goals and 100 measures. The main mission is to create: “A safe and resilient nation, inspired by its heritage and driven by progress, which promotes a healthy quality of life for everyone.”
This mission is built on four pillars. The first pillar focuses on sustainable growth; the second on making our public services more accessible; the third on making our country more resilient and providing increasingly modern education; and the final pillar deals with the smarter use of the land and the sea around us.
The Prime Minister said that the framework of the Malta Vision 2050 is the way to measure the country’s success, which will no longer be based solely on how much wealth we create, but rather on how each measure affects people’s lives. This will be achieved by measuring three new key indicators.
The first indicator is the United Nations Human Development Index, which includes factors such as education, health and life expectancy. Malta currently ranks 24th globally in this index. We are aiming to rise among the top 20 countries by 2035 and among the top 10 countries in the world by 2050.
The second indicator focuses on how much money truly remains in people’s pockets, known as the EU Median Disposable Income Index. By 2035 we want to be on par with the French, and keep moving upward until by 2050 we also reach the Finns, who today are among the top seven in Europe.
The third is the European Union index that measures people’s overall wellbeing, including their happiness, mental health, and how they feel about the quality of their daily lives, the overall experience of life. Malta currently ranks 9th in the European Union on this indicator, and the aim is to rise to the top eight by 2035 and to the top five by 2050.
He remarked that although this is a plan leading us to 2050, it also includes intermediate targets that will be the first test of turning this vision into tangible initiatives and measures for the benefit of families. There are 100 measures, and six of them are considered central, the flagship projects.
These are:
- An increasingly efficient transport system
- Strengthening the health sector
- Education and skills for the future
- Clean energy, climate action and environmental transformation
- A greener Malta, with a number of national parks
- Regeneration of our ports
The implementation of these measures will be tracked through the website maltavision.mt.
“Vision Malta 2050 is not just a plan. It is a new way of living. Where development is balanced. Where everyone achieves their aspirations. Where we will have a country far better than the one we found. Together, we can build the best Malta,” concluded the Prime Minister Robert Abela.
The launch also included remarks by the Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri. He said that the Malta Vision 2050 is not only about growth, but about quality growth. “Today we are in a strong enough position to focus on the path forward for our country. This is our courageous choice, to protect tomorrow’s quality of life by investing in excellence today. The future does not shape itself, it is built decision by decision, and therefore, for the good of our children, we have chosen to build the future ourselves,” said Minister Schembri.
The launch of the Malta Vision 2050 was accompanied by an event in which a number of successful Maltese figures, from Haley Bugeja and Neil Agius to Ira Losco, together with children and young people, made symbolic pledges on behalf of the rest of the country. Among them were pledges of resilience and determination, and a pledge to believe in oneself, principles that will enable our country to deliver this plan for 2050.
Photos: OPM/DOI
