PM highlights challenges of illegal immigration

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday highlighted Malta's irregular immigration problems while addressing the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York, saying it is extremely difficult for Malta to continue to carry such a burden "which is so acutely disproportionate to the size of the country and its population".

"I must highlight the unprecedented increase in the influx of irregular immigrants that have been arriving in Malta mainly from the African continent. It is for this reason that Malta has continuously requested assistance in tackling this problem through the principles of solidarity and sharing of responsibilities from Europe and other countries as well as from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Malta is grateful to those countries that have come forward to assist us in coping with this phenomenon. Nevertheless, much more needs to be done by us all, including the countries of origin and the countries of transit," he said.

Dr Gonzi said Africa continues to present a formidable challenge. "It is a challenge not only for African countries themselves but for the whole of the international community. Whilst noting with satisfaction the success stories in the reduction of poverty, Malta remains very concerned that progress in Africa is still lagging behind. We have an obligation to enhance efforts to assist African countries to meet their legitimate goals of sustainable development."

The Prime Minister reiterated Malta's conviction that "we have a common obligation and responsibility to support ambitious and urgent action, at the national, regional and international level, within the United Nations Framework Convention so as to stop and overturn, in these coming years, the accumulation of greenhouse gases which are causing detrimental climate change". The vulnerability of small islands states to the negative impacts of climate change needs to be underlined, he said.

Malta welcomes and recognises the important developments on the Cyprus question, the renewed vigour in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria with Turkish mediation, the formation of a national unity government in Lebanon and the improved relations between Lebanon and Syria, he said.

Malta feels that all UN member states, without exception, should continue to support the Secretary-General in his quest, together with the Quartet, to resolve the issue of Palestine refugees and that of the permanent status of Jerusalem, as well as the other important issues of settlements, borders and water and security.

"We welcome all initiatives which create a bond between European and Mediterranean countries. A case in point is the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, with its headquarters in Malta, aiming to bring together all the littoral states of the Mediterranean on an equal footing, to examine questions and take decisions on issues of direct interest to the countries of the region.

"An important development in the Euro-Med partnership was the launching, last July, on the initiative of President (Nicolas) Sarkozy of France, of the Union for the Mediterranean within the Barcelona Process. Malta believes that this initiative will be a significant milestone in our common efforts to promote security and prosperity in the Euro-Mediterranean region to the equal benefit of all European Union member states and Mediterranean partners.

"Malta is looking forward to working constructively with other members of the Union to address some of the problems which the Mediterranean confronts, including in particular development, food security, water and energy," he said.

He said poverty eradication and the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals are to be priorities of our times which should be addressed in a multi-dimensional way, both through the conduct of political and economic decision-making as well as through social and environmental factors related to different facets such as culture and gender equality, geography, climate and energy.

"Malta strongly believes that the pledges made at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals remain the overarching objective of our global agenda. Besides being a Signatory to the 'Call for Action' launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Malta is also actively working to reach its targets for official development assistance set by the European Union," the Prime Minister said.

"We all recognise that the transformation of the United Nations into a stronger organisation requires from all of us determination and conviction that only a concerted effort by all member states can achieve. The reform of the United Nations is an evolving exercise which requires on our part that understanding, that solidarity, that partnership which we as member states must engage to overcome the new and emerging challenges facing humankind."