Updated 8.30pm
Prime Minister Robert Abela on Friday called for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Libya as he addressed a UN General Assembly debate in New York.
In his address, Abela said helping Libyans find a lasting solution to their institutional crisis would benefit the wider region.
Abela was participating in the annual debate which this year discussed solutions to global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.
He said Malta had a unique political and geographical position: it was a bridge between Europe and North Africa, and at a crossroads between Europe and the Middle East. The island was a full member of the EU, but with neutrality enshrined in its constitution, he added.
"We are acutely aware of the responsibility this position brings. Two words sum up the role I believe Malta can and does play: Honest broker.
"From hosting peace talks to brokering difficult dialogues, we aim to harness our position to bring those in conflict together to at least try and find a way forward," he said.
Abela added that, understandably, much of the world’s attention has been on the Israel/Gaza conflict since October 7 - a conflict that has "expanded to a dangerous and deeply worrying escalation in Lebanon".
He called for "decisive steps" to resolve this conflict before it was too late while urging the global community not to lose sight of the killing of civilians in Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine.
"Let me turn to another country in conflict. Malta’s southern neighbour – Libya.
"Helping the Libyan people achieve a genuine and lasting resolution to the institutional crisis - for which they have paid too high a price for too long – is a key priority for Malta," he said.
Abela said such a resolution would not only benefit the Libyan people but also the country's neighbours and the wider region.
"Only with a single functioning government - supported by citizens across the whole country - can Libya play its full part in addressing the migrant crisis which puts so many lives at risk.
"As friends and neighbours of Libya, we can and must help. But for the process to truly succeed, it must be Libyan-led and Libyan-owned," he warned.
"We unequivocally call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries from Libya. Malta re-emphasises the need for a full implementation/impletion of the Libyan arms embargo in line with all the relevant Security Council resolutions."
Rising seas
Referring to climatic challenges, Abela said Malta knew just how much small island nations could be impacted by increasingly warm oceans and rising sea levels.
"We, small island nations, are among the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases, but we are at the frontline of the climate emergency.
"The impact of climate change will be felt by all our citizens. It is our duty to them to do all we can to minimise that change and maximise our resilience to the changes already being felt. Delay and prevarication simply aren’t options. Climate change must remain at the top of the global agenda."
Solidarity, he said, meant actions, not just words.
The Islands for Islands initiative was central to the island's foreign policy, he said, adding the initiative provided concrete, practical assistance to Small Island Developing States.
"That’s why Malta has jointly taken the lead in developing the Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Index – a practical resource to help small islands identify and prepare better for the effects of the changing climate.
"As sea levels become an ever greater concern, so does the health of our seas and oceans become ever greater a priority. Malta remains, and will always remain, at the forefront of efforts to protect our oceans," he said, adding that, among others, Malta had successfully launched a shore-to-ship initiative that allowed cruise liners to plug into Malta’s electric grid when docked at the main harbour.