Foreign Ministers from the European Union and the Arab League will be meeting in Malta on February 11 and 12 following a Maltese initiative to promote regional dialogue launched in 2006.

Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said the conference was a “very important development” in the history of Maltese diplomacy and underlined the role Malta had in the European Union to promote dialogue and cooperation.

The conference will group ministers from 47 countries and will be co-chaired by Malta as the host country and Slovenia and Saudi Arabia, who currently preside over the EU and the Arab League.

The EU delegation will include the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Javier Solana and the Commissioner for External Affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

The Arab League ministers will be headed by Amr Musa, the league’s veteran secretary general.

Dr Frendo told a press conference that it was important for the European Union to engage in direct dialogue with its neighbours. This conference will discuss items of common interest including climate change, energy security, economic and human development and migration.

It is the first meeting at such a senior level between the EU and the league.