Opening a Maltese embassy in Doha, Qatar, is still on the cards, according to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

His predecessor, Lawrence Gonzi, had announced in April 2012 that Malta would be opening an embassy in Doha to signal its willingness to cooperate with Qatar. Addressing honorary consuls during the yearly exchange of New Year’s greetings yesterday, Dr Muscat said consulates were planned to be opened in regions ranging from Algiers (Algeria) and Misurata (Libya) to Shanghai (China) and Latin America.

Dr Muscat thanked them for their work, adding that honorary consuls had an important role to play and this included sensitising the international community to Malta’s plight in addressing the influx of irregular migration. “More importantly, consuls have an important role to emphasise the need for a solution to this tragic phenomenon,” he said.

Another important role was attracting foreign students to Malta. “The potential in this field is endless,” Dr Muscat said.

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