It is my pleasure to join you this evening to celebrate the National Day of France. This is also an opportunity to pay tribute to the enduring friendship that exists between our nations, a friendship strongly grounded in mutual respect, and a common vision of peace and prosperity.
These shared values serve as a strong foundation for a dynamic and thriving economic relationship, which continues to bring tangible benefits to both our nations.
In 2024, Malta imported €462.5 million worth of goods from France, while exports reached €58.7 million. Trade in services has also flourished, especially in gaming, manufacturing, and freelance services.
Malta remains committed to fostering deeper commercial engagement with France. The framework of our existing bilateral agreements gives us a solid foundation on which to continue enhancing our bonds. We welcome all initiatives that promote greater interaction between our respective business communities, particularly in the fields of advanced manufacturing, tourism, financial services, and the digital and technology sectors.
Of note is the significant presence of French students who choose Malta as their destination for learning English.
Moreover, to sustain the economic partnership and the people-to-people contacts between our countries, maintaining and enhancing our air and maritime connectivity remains of critical importance.
The deep and longstanding cultural ties between our countries are also worth celebrating. A shining example is the ongoing exhibition on Grand Master Jean-Paul de Lascaris in Nice.
Following the resounding success of the Malta Arts Biennale in 2024, preparations are underway for the 2026 edition. We were honoured to welcome several talented French artists in the first edition, and we are pleased to note that more than 120 of the 3,200 artists that have applied to take part in next year’s edition are French.
Moreover, in January of this year, the Alliance Française Malta-Méditerranée inaugurated a new cultural hub in Ħamrun, reaffirming our shared dedication to linguistic and cultural exchange.
Excellencies, distinguished guests
France and Malta are also closely connected through the European Union, where both our countries serve as advocates for a competitive, inclusive, and forward-looking Europe. We are both in favour of a merit-based enlargement process firmly anchored in set conditions, where each partner’s progress is assessed on its own merits.
As champions of multilateralism, the close cooperation between our two countries is crucial in ensuring the strengthening of multilateral institutions, especially at times where the principles of multilateralism are constantly undermined.
We are grateful for France’s support throughout Malta’s OSCE Chairpersonship last year, and during our current Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
We are also natural partners at the UN. This was clearly demonstrated during our term as elected members of the Security Council in 2023-24, where we cooperated closely on a wide array of issues.
Tied to our cooperation in New York, I make reference to the 2015 Political Declaration by France and Mexico advocating restraint in the use of the veto in instances dealing with the curtailing of atrocities.
This Declaration expressly refers to the World Summit Outcome Document of 2005, wherein the Heads of State and the United Nations voiced agreement on the need ‘to take collective action in a timely and decisive manner through the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter’.
The same 2015 Declaration goes on to declare that such action is desirable when ‘national authorities fail to protect their populations from genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes’.
The 2015 Declaration rightly recognises that the veto power held by the five permanent members of the Security Council is not a privilege, but a responsibility, and therefore the veto should not be utilised to hinder actions aimed at preventing or ending mass atrocities.
Malta reiterates its support for this important initiative, and I have singled out this Declaration because it points its finger directly on a truth which has for decades now been staring the international community in the face.
Yes, a review of the United Nations structure is sorely needed if the international community is to come to grips with a world situation where previously shared values, standards of humanistic considerations, and peoples’ aspirations are being put under continuous strain.
I select for special reference the war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, and the Middle East. To this, one can also add Libya.
Here, I highlight the joint contribution by Malta and France on the UN Security Council, when our countries co-penned the resolutions which renewed the authorisations allowing Member States and the European Union to inspect vessels on the high seas off Libya’s coast believed to be in violation of the arms embargo or participating in acts of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
Further south, the security situation in the Sahel remains deeply concerning, marked by persistent violence, extremism, and a deteriorating humanitarian outlook.
More broadly, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face interconnected challenges, from institutional fragility and food insecurity to the pressures of demographic change and external interference.
Climate-related stressors continue to compound an already fragile context, further undermining the resilience of communities across the region.
In this regard, the broader challenges of climate change and ocean governance demands our urgent and sustained attention. France is to be commended for its leadership on these pressing issues, most recently demonstrated through its hosting of the Third UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
With growing scepticism regarding the climate crisis, the Nice Conference offered a unique opportunity not only to trigger concrete global action to protect the ocean but to prove that collective solutions to global challenges are possible.
These are but a few of the complex dynamics that are shaping the contemporary world. They are pressing issues, and they underscore the need for diplomacy and dialogue, based on mutual trust.
In this context, the French national motto ‘Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité’, remains profoundly relevant. I venture to add that the spirit of ‘Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité’ should be seriously taken on board again globally, so that the application of these universal values may lead to human dignity, social justice, and peaceful coexistence among nations.
Ambassador Lelong-Motta
On behalf of the people of Malta, I raise a toast to the wellbeing of the President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, and to the people of France.