About 92 migrants left for France yesterday, embarking on a journey into a new future that has been secured by a responsibility-sharing initiative between the French and Maltese authorities.
The relocation was France's response to Malta's appeal to share the burden of immigration, said French Ambassador Daniel Rondeau, who wants to "pull" other EU countries to follow suit.
The pilot project was the first, but not the last, and Mr Rondeau said the French government was considering doing it again next year. "But we would not like to be alone", he insisted, seeing off and embracing the migrants at Malta International Airport.
He said yesterday was a "momentous" day for everyone.
France is the first country to implement the project that was tailor-made for Malta and agreed upon by EU leaders last month. It is also a response to the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, dating back to last October.
The migrants, who reached Malta illegally after fleeing Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, the Ivory Coast and Sri Lanka, stayed for an average of four years, enjoying international protection.
They are being transported to three towns in northern France, where they will be put up in reception centres for a maximum of six months and assisted in the process of integration in France by the Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII). They will be taught the language and learn about French culture.
They are being offered support for housing, food and clothing, medical care and treatment, employment services and other forms of assistance during the transition period to self-sufficiency.
Of the 92 migrants, 74 were adults, five children and 13 infants. They were all smiles yesterday, eager for a new life and to be able to "settle", armed with a travel information guide, a preparatory course... and lots of luggage.
A 25-year-old woman from Eritrea and her 10-month-old son were waiting to board the plane. Although she was happy to be leaving, excited about the prospect of a change, she had been fine in Malta over the last three years, working as a housekeeper.
"I want to be settled, which means I want to have regular documents; to have citizenship; to be legal. If there was peace in my country, I would go home. I consider myself lucky," she said.
A 26-year-old Somali, who has been in Malta for one year, agreed with others that the only problem was the size of the island: "There is no space".
"I look forward to starting a new future but I cannot forget Malta because we had good facilities here and the Maltese helped and respected us. It's a social society and I had a good job in a hotel. The only thing is that France is larger and offers more opportunities," he said.
The International Organisation for Migration said the selection process was carried out by the French government and based on a variety of criteria, including whether they had family in France and could speak some French. It was tasked with implementing the pilot project by the French Immigration Ministry.