Updated 11.20 am
Prime Minister Robert Abela held a bilateral meeting with UN General Secretary António Guterres.
On the margins of the UN's 79th General Assembly, at which Abela gave a speech, the two mainly discussed Libya and the Mediterranean, tensions in the Middle East and Malta's term leading the UN's security council.
On Libya, Abela said that Malta has long advocated for stability in the country, explaining the importance of drawing Libya's factions closer for Libyans to have a legitimate process to keep progressing in its own best interests.
The prime minister also expressed concern about the escalation of war in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon.
On Gaza, Abela said that Malta welcomed the International Court of Justice's decision to protect the interests of civilians in the Gaza Strip and demand humanitarian access corridors, particularly in Rafah.
The Maltese Government has also repeated its pleas for Hamas to release Israeli hostage taken on October 7, he added.
Abela said that dialogue remains our strongest tool and that other parties, including the EU, should work together towards peace and stability in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Malta remains firm in its position towards finding a two-state solution where the people of both Israel and Palestine can live beside each other in peace and security.
Guterres thanked Malta for its role in securing peace thanks to its important work chairing the Security Council.
He also commended Malta's efforts at putting other important issues on the council's agenda, including climate change, equality, female emancipation and the protection of children in zones of armed conflict.
Ian Borg at the UN General Assembly in New York. Photo: DOIIan Borg calls for immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza
In New York on Friday, Foreign Minister Ian Borg called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza during a UN Security Council dialogue with the League of Arab States.
“The escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict into the wider region is no longer a looming spectre but has now become a reality. The deeply alarming developments across the Blue Line and into Lebanon are increasing civilian deaths and mass displacement on both sides. A ceasefire is now more crucial than ever before,” he said.
Borg encouraged promoting dialogue and de-escalation and welcomed ongoing efforts at brokering a ceasefire.
“The harrowing plight of civilians in Gaza and the Palestinian territories cannot be ignored any longer. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, and women and children continue to suffer in a disproportionate manner. Humanitarians are working in desperate conditions, and too many have paid the ultimate price,” Borg continued.
He said that Malta will continue to advocate for a “credible and irreversible” realisation of a two-state solution.
During the General Assembly, Borg also co-hosted a Leaders’ Meeting of the Coalition for Addressing Sea-level Rise and its Existential Threat (C-SET) and participated at the Annual Meeting of the Informal Ministerial Network for the International Criminal Court.
He also had meetings with Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and with Foreign Ministers Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Hakan Fidan of Türkiye, and Rashid Meredov of Turkmenistan.
Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela addressing the high level meeting. Photo: DOIHealth Minister urges increased effort to fight antimicrobial resistance
In a plenary session of the UN General Assembly, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela stressed the importance of revising processes in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.
He emphasised the importance of keeping up political momentum to push evidence-based actions among all the member countries.
Having sustainable, efficient and responsible national, regional and global governance structures is crucial to having an effective response, Abela said.
The minister also spoke about the UN finding the way forward towards achieving universal health care, to also be able to address antimicrobial resistance and save more lives.