Health Minister Chris Fearne on Sunday was appointed president of the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organisation.
The assembly is the policy-making body of the organisation.
It also appoints the Director-General, supervises financial policies, and reviews and approves the budget.
The Health Assembly meets annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
Fearne said the appointment was a great honour for him personally and for Malta.
The theme of this year's assembly, which opened on Sunday and continues till the end of the month is "saving lives, driving health for all."
Fearne said in comments to the press that one of his priorities was to focus on the need for new medicines to be available to all people across the world at the same time.
Chris Fearne presides the assembly on Sunday.