Tunisia, Italy and Libya were actively supporting Malta’s bid to host next year’s meeting of heads of state and of government of European and Mediterranean countries, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said yesterday.

He said Malta’s engagement in international fora was bearing fruit and he mentioned in this connection the Council of Europe, the UN, the Union for the Mediterranean and the so-called 5+5 Group, which brings five southern EU states round the table with five North African countries.

Dr Borg was speaking during the opening of a three-day conference bringing together all of Malta’s 28 ambassadors. It is aimed at briefing them about the country’s diplomatic, political and economic efforts.

The ambassadors were urged to continue promoting Malta for foreign direct investment.

Dr Borg paid tribute to their work, saying this was reaping results through developments like Malta’s choice as the host of the European Asylum Centre and the appointment of a Maltese deputy secretary-general at the Union of the Mediterranean.

He said the ambassadors were the link for Maltese businessmen who wanted to export or foreign businessmen who wanted to invest in Malta. Between January and June this year, over 750 businessman requested information or assistance from Malta’s ambassadors abroad. He did not specify whether these were Maltese or foreign.