Malta plans to organise a follow-up to last year's Valletta Summit on Migration during its six-month stint as president of the European Council, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela has said. 

“Migration and asylum will undoubtedly still be very high on the EU’s agenda when Malta takes over the EU Presidency, and we will strive to foster amongst the bloc’s Member States a common strategy to address the issue efficaciously," the minister said.

The November 2015 Valletta Summit brought European and African heads of state and governments together in an effort to strengthen cooperation and address migration-related challenges and opportunities.

The summit led to a political declaration and an action plan, as well as a list of 16 concrete actions to be implemented by the end of 2016. 

Dr Abela told a European Parliament delegation of the government's intention to organise a follow-up meeting during a courtesy call paid on him yesterday. MEPs Cecile Kyenge (S&D), Helga Stevens (ECR), Carlos Coelho (EPP) and Miriam Dalli (S&D) from the assembly’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee were all present. 

The follow-up meeting would allow European and African partner countries to take stock of progress made, he said. 

“We are in the same boat and we muct therefore act together in a spirit of solidarity. On the European level we’ve been taking a lot about possible solutions and ways forward, and it is important that we now deliver concrete results. Our citizens expect that from us. We look forward to a very good working relationship with the European Parliament during our Presidency.”