Three collaboration agreements with Ethiopia

Three more collaboration agreements on air services, the training for diplomats and the creative sector were signed by Minister Ian Borg in the first-ever visit to Ethiopia by a Maltese Foreign Minister, with that country's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen.

Minister Borg said that the agreement on air services offers a platform for continued evaluation of the possibility of direct connectivity between the two countries and paves the way for more trade.

Other discussions centred on several sectors with potential for trade, including manufacturing, services, pharmaceuticals and the digital industry

Minister Mekonn expressed his appreciation for Malta's decision two years ago to have diplomatic representation in Ethiopia countries Minister Borg visited for bilateral talks with corresponding ministers but also signed several essential collaboration agreements with each of them about matters about the respective countries. His other visits took him to Ethiopia and Rwanda

At Seychelles, where sea level rise is a reality and is destroying entire stretches of land and shores, Minister Borg signed two cooperation agreements, one on health and the other on a Joint Commission

Since Malta and Seychelles are establishing the way forward for cooperation, this meeting is historic and significant Ian Borg said he believed that the conference served as a way towards more dialogue through which bilateral and even commercial relations between the two countries could be strengthened, particularly in the tourism sector, which like Malta, is one of the main pillars of Seychelles' economy

As Malta and Seychelles are island states, the blue economy needed to remain at the top of the agenda and was also discussed together with the fishing sector, the exclusive economic zone, the maritime industry and collaboration on international forums and the Commonwealth

Also present for this meeting was the Minister for Investment, Enterprise and Industry Devika Vidot and the Minister for Education Justin Valentin of Seychelles

Minister Ian Borg also met Vice President Ahmed Afif. The clear message was that the two countries should continue the dialogue that had just started