In an international conference that was held in Rome on development and immigration, Prime Minister Robert Abela hinted in favor of work between countries of origin, of transit and those that are the destination in immigration. This is to reach a point where, with sustainable economic developments, the issue of immigration is better managed.
On Sunday, in Palazzo della Farnesina, the conference was held between leaders of countries of the European Union, Africa, other countries in the Mediterranean and those in the Arab Gulf. This together with representatives of international organizations and leaders of the European institutions.
Prime Minister Robert Abela said that we must look at Africa as an equal partner to Europe in economic cooperation based on respect. Dr. Abela referred to the initiative of the Italian Government and praised the initiative of the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to convene a conference that puts on the agenda the economic cooperation with other countries beyond the European continent, among them with African countries.
Dr. Abela said that all this is also in line with the consistent position that Malta has been pushing on immigration. The Maltese Prime Minister pointed out that there must continue to be a clear collective message against human trafficking in the face of painful realities that we had in the Mediterranean where vulnerable people lost their lives. “This is a moral obligation of all of us”, claimed Prime Minister Robert Abela.
He also claimed that the repatriation of persons who do not deserve asylum must be done in an effective and safe way. The Prime Minister also said that the environmental core is linked to economic cooperation between different countries and this must be done in partnership with the private sector which is a strategic partner in the economic transition that must be done to create more opportunities and quality jobs that help everyone, including the prospects of citizens in their own country, who today look at irregular immigration as the only way.
“There will be no development for the better without peace and security and peace and security will not arrive if there is no quality development”, stressed the Prime Minister.
Dr. Abela pointed to the 2030 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations and said that the pandemic that hit the world recently should not hinder the implementation of these goals on a bigger challenge, that of climate change. He said that the reality is that countries that have contributed the least to global warming are among the most negatively affected by climate change, but he stressed that just as countries from different continents recognized that they work together in the Valletta Summit of 2015, so too we must be one fist where with an open dialogue we work in favor of seriously addressing the issue of immigration.
At the end of the conference, the leaders agreed on a number of conclusions including the establishment of the ‘Rome Process’, an important framework for the implementation of collective work in favor of stability and economic development while addressing the issue of immigration from the roots. This is apart from the implementation of the obligations stated in the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Accompanying the Prime Minister Robert Abela was also the Deputy of the Government Cressida Galea.
