Malta Strengthens UN Cooperation In Support Of Children’s Healthcare In Syria

Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Chris Fearne met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where discussions focused on humanitarian cooperation and maritime security.

During the meeting, Moreira da Silva thanked Malta for its €130,000 contribution towards a healthcare project at Ibn Roshed Hospital in Aleppo, Syria. The funding will provide a specialised heating and cooling system required to carry out cardiac surgery on newborn babies.

He also expressed appreciation for Malta’s cooperation with UNOPS on humanitarian initiatives, including the facilitation of the delivery of 250 tonnes of flour to Gaza last year.

Fearne said these initiatives demonstrate how Malta can provide practical support to communities affected by conflict and humanitarian crises.

The meeting also addressed maritime security, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the work of the United Nations Task Force coordinated by UNOPS. The initiative is focused on improving the safety and reliability of maritime transport, with particular attention on the movement of fertilisers and the raw materials needed for their production.

Fearne stressed the importance of maintaining stable trade routes, warning that disruptions to the transport of fertilisers could have serious consequences for agricultural production, food prices and global food security, especially in vulnerable countries already facing additional pressures from El Niño.

The Minister also reaffirmed Malta’s willingness to continue supporting United Nations efforts by sharing its maritime expertise. He said the country’s vessel monitoring capabilities and secure information sharing systems could contribute to protecting civilian maritime transport and safeguarding the global movement of food and fertilisers.

#MaltaDaily