Malta is strongly supporting the integration of Libya into the family of the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation, Foreign Minister George Vella said.

Addressing the OSCE ministerial council in Kyev, Dr Vella said Libya was the only missing link in the North African chain.

“As a neighbouring state, we are concerned by the situation in that country. But we also believe that the OSCE can help Libya build its democratic institutions. It can help it foster the respect for human rights and the rule of law. It can also help it address the problems associated with the proliferation of small and light weapons and to have democratic control of the armed forces. The OSCE has the right tools, credentials and experience to push for stability in that country. Overlooking the situation will however not make it go away.”

The minister also spoke on human trafficking saying that Malta experienced the effects of this scourge first-hand through irregular immigration and was doing its utmost to assist primarily the victims.

“But this modern form of slavery also affects most of your countries. It is an affront to human dignity that must be combated forcefully. This Organisation has to do more to see that laws are enforced and criminality controlled. More also needs to be done on the prevention side of human trafficking. Political commitments are good but not good enough.

"Those commitments must be implemented through a concrete action plan that is results-oriented and thematically focussed. A plan that cannot be implemented without the full cooperation of the North African Partners for Cooperation, including Libya – countries through which most of the irregular migrants reaching the Mediterranean pass, before reaching our shores, if they manage to make it,” he said.