Over 2,000 public servants and service providers are involved in organising next week’s OSCE Ministerial Council, the largest ministerial conference ever hosted in Malta.

On Thursday afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, and Chairperson of the OSCE, Ian Borg, visited Ta’ Qali to observe the final preparations for the historic event. On Thursday 5th and Friday 6th December, the Foreign Ministers from the 57 participating states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will convene in Malta for the 31st Ministerial Council meeting. The discussions will focus on regional security challenges and crucial organisational decisions, with Russia’s war against Ukraine expected to dominate the agenda, as both nations are among the participating states.

At Ta’ Qali, Minister Borg met with the task force from the Ministry overseeing the conference’s organisation, in collaboration with Malta’s Permanent Representation to the OSCE in Vienna and other supporting government entities. He also spoke to workers putting the finishing touches on the conference venue, which will accommodate over 800 delegates and local and international journalists. The 12,000 square-metre venue includes a plenary hall for foreign ministers’ discussions, press conference rooms, areas for side events, bilateral meeting rooms, interpretation facilities, a media centre for more than 200 journalists, catering services, and other amenities.

Since the start of the year, the Ministry’s task force has coordinated essential logistical requirements with the Malta Police Force, the Armed Forces of Malta, the Civil Protection Department, Transport Malta, LESA, Infrastructure Malta, the Department of Public Works, Ambjent Malta, Health Services, the Cleansing and Maintenance Division, MITA, the Department of Information, Public Broadcasting Services, and others.

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg expressed his gratitude to all teams involved for their hard work and dedication. “A year ago, at the 30th Ministerial Council in Skopje, all participating states agreed that Malta was the only country capable of leading this organisation in 2024 due to our reputation as a credible agent of peace and dialogue,” he said. “Next week’s conference will further strengthen Malta’s standing on the world stage.”

He added, “The Ministerial Conference represents the culmination of a year’s efforts to enhance the resilience of this organisation and advocate for unity among nations to address the challenges facing the OSCE region, from conflict to the climate crisis, from media freedom and cybersecurity to gender equality and the protection of human rights. No country can resolve these challenges alone, but together, through decisive action, we can build a better future for over one billion people in the OSCE region.”

Malta began its 12-month Chairmanship of the OSCE in January, with the theme “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Security,” following its unanimous election to lead the organisation for the first time in its history in November 2023.

#MaltaDaily