Former ambassador to Malta Maurice Abela has died aged 96.

Abela's career in the civil service spanned from pre-independence to the late 1990s.

Former prime minister Alfred Sant described Abela as one of the great builders of the Maltese modern civil service.

In a tribute, Sant said Abela had two qualities that stood out: his loyalty to the government of the day and a commitment to hard work at all times. 

Abela was born in 1926 in Valletta, and received his education at the Lyceum and Hull University, where he graduated in economics.

In 1945 he joined the civil service after having spent a year teaching, being eventually appointed principal government statistician, principal electoral officer and electoral registrar. 

In 1966 he was appointed principal assistant secretary responsible for the setting up of an economic division at the office of the prime minister. 

He was eventually appointed secretary to the cabinet and then secretary at the foreign affairs ministry. 

In the mid-1980s, he was appointed executive secretary, and then secretary general at the office of the prime minister.

Abela eventually also served as chair of Bank of Valletta, and Lombard Bank.

His career also involved being nominated member of commonwealth observer teams supervising elections in British Guyana and the Maurutius. 

He served as the Malta ambassador to Italy between 1987 and 1993, to the Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe between 1994 and 1999 and to Austria between 1996 and 1999.

He was also decorated with an MBE.

He is survived by his children Ben, Carol Sandra and Angele, their spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The funeral cortège leaves Mater Dei Hospital on Saturday, April 29, at 8.15am, for St Gregory’s parish church, Sliema, where Mass to celebrate his life will be held at 8.45am.