Final preparations are under way for what is shaping up to be the largest international government conference ever held in Malta.

More than 2,000 public servants and service providers are coming together to organise next week’s OSCE Ministerial Council, which will be held at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta’ Qali.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg, who is also chairing the OSCE, visited the area on Thursday afternoon and met with the task force responsible for coordinating organisation of the conference.

The OSCE conference, its 31^st ministerial council, will be held on Thursday and Friday next week.

Minister Ian Borg visited the Ta' Qali area on Thursday. Photo: DOI/Clodagh O'Neill

Over 800 delegates will be hosted in the 12,000 square metre complex, which will feature a plenary hall where foreign ministers will discuss regional security challenges as well as pressing organisational decisions.

Russia’s war against Ukraine will be high on the meeting’s agenda, with the two nations among the participating states at the table.

Country representatives will also have bilateral meeting rooms at their disposal, with halls for press conferences and side events, interpretation facilities, a media centre for more than 200 journalists, catering areas, and other facilities.

Multiple state agencies are involved in preparations, from the police force to Armed Forces, Civil Protection Department, Transport Malta, LESA, Infrastructure Malta, the Department of Public Works, Ambjent Malta, the Health Services, the Cleansing and Maintenance Division, MITA, the Department of Information, Public Broadcasting Services, and many others.

Deputy Prime Minister and OSCE Chairperson Ian Borg thanked all the teams involved for their commitment and dedication in the run-up to the conference.

“A year ago, during the 30^th Ministerial Council in Skopje, all participating states agreed that Malta was the only country that could lead this organisation in 2024 because we are held in high esteem as a credible agent of peace and dialogue,” he explained, “and next week’s conference will continue to reinforce Malta’s reputation on the world stage.”

“The Ministerial Conference is the culmination of a year of relentless efforts to strengthen the resilience of this organisation and to continue advocating for unity among nations in addressing the OSCE region’s challenges, from wars to the climate crisis, from media freedom and cybersecurity to gender equality and the safeguarding of human rights. No country can tackle these challenges alone, but together, through decisive actions, we can build a better future for over one billion people in the OSCE region,” he concluded.

Malta began its 12-month Chairpersonship of the OSCE in January, under the theme “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Security”, after it was unanimously elected to head this organisation for the first time in its history, in November 2023.