Minister for Home Affairs and
National Security Michael Farrugia participated in the meeting of EU Ministers
of Defence held in Brussels on the 12th November 2019. During the
meeting, EU defence ministers agreed on new projects under Permanent Structured
Cooperation (PESCO). The ministers also held discussions on the EU’s military
crisis management missions and operations, and on the European Defence Agency
(EDA) steering board. Over lunch, the ministers held talks on the further
developing of EU-NATO cooperation in the presence of NATO’s Deputy Secretary
General Mircea Geoana. The defence meeting was chaired by High Representative
of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
Minister Michael Farrugia stated that the EU’s work in the
Sahel and the Horn of Africa is concretely seen through the presence of its
missions on the ground. Malta believes that these missions are an important
tool in bringing stability and security to the local population through the
reform of the local security forces. Malta participates in both naval
operations and fully supports their value-added.
“Malta continues to stress that the migration flows are not
just an issue for the southernmost EU member states, but a European challenge,
and that this matter should be tackled in the same way that the EU deals with
challenges on its other borders, and with the same resolve. Malta will continue
to contribute to discussions at all levels to address these challenges and for
a determined EU effort on this front. As an island, maritime security has
always been among Malta’s prime considerations in dealing with general law
enforcement issues because of the risks for our main economic activities, such
as fisheries, merchant shipping, tourism and other commercial maritime operations.
Malta agrees that rapid and determined action is needed to counter security
risks such as illegal immigration, piracy, illegal fishing and other illegal
activities and that sharing information among relevant stakeholders is
important to reach this goal. In this context, Malta considers the
concept of the Coordinated Maritime Presence as providing further input towards
improving the tools already in place within the EU in this area, notably the EU
Maritime Security Strategy and its action plan”, stated the minister.
Minister Michael Farrugia pointed out that Malta already
participates in EU actions in the ambit of FRONTEX and shares information
within that forum with the aim to create a situational picture of the
operational area in order to detect, prevent and combat illegal immigration and
cross-border crime. Malta also participates in various operations to identify
possible threats and disrupt smuggling networks, such as the EUNAVFOR MED
SOPHIA and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA.
During the
session on the EDA Ministerial Steering Board meeting, Minister Farrugia
maintained that Malta considers the European Defence Agency as one of the key
entities for taking forward the EU’s defence priorities and for ensuring
EU-wide coherence in the area of military capabilities. Malta supports the
roles assigned to the EDA in collaboration with the European External Action
Service (EEAS).
The minister
stated that two of the EU’s central issues remain maritime security and
irregular migration flows. Development of military capabilities that can
successfully deal with these two important challenges would be of significant
value added. Malta encourages the agency to consider further steps in these
areas so that its output can be more meaningful in the eyes of EU public opinion,
and in order to improve the quality of life of EU citizens, concluded Minister
Farrugia.