Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg in New York for the busiest week on the international diplomatic calendar

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg arrived in New York for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High Level Week, where Maltese diplomats are set to gather with foreign counterparts for the busiest week on the international diplomatic calendar.

Malta is scheduled to participate in more than 90 high level events and meetings and plans to hold 27 bilateral meetings with different countries, spanning four continents, as well as meetings with international organisations.

On Sunday and Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Borg will be addressing the highly anticipated Summit of the Future, one of the highlights of this year’s High Level Week, bringing the leaders of the 193 United Nations (UN) member countries together to discuss international cooperation and global governance, and chart an action plan to deliver a better present and safeguard the future. The Summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of a new Pact for the Future, including action plans for multilateral cooperation on sustainable development, international peace and security, scientific innovation, digital cooperation and youth engagement.

As the current Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg will also be holding bilateral meetings with participating states of this organisation.

In its second year as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council, Malta will also be participating in Security Council meetings, including a debate themed “Leadership for Peace” and a Security Council briefing on Ukraine.

High Level Week will come to a climax between Tuesday and Saturday, as all member countries participate in the annual General Debate, which marks the official opening of the UN General Assembly. This year’s theme is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”.

Malta will also be involved in meetings hosted by the European Union and the Commonwealth.