Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations New York

On World Refugee Day, we stand in solidarity with the millions of people around the world who have been forced to flee conflict, persecution, violence, and human rights violations.

This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, a landmark international agreement that continues to safeguard the rights and protection of refugees worldwide.

As the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reminds us; “Becoming a refugee is never a choice. But how we respond is.”

Today, we recognize the resilience, courage and contributions of refugees, while reaffirming the importance of international cooperation, human dignity, and shared responsibility in supporting those forced to flee.



Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Affarijiet Barranin

🌊 As new challenges emerge across the world's oceans, remains the cornerstone of international ocean governance.

On the margins of , Malta joined Fiji, Jamaica and Singapore, in convening the side event “The Enduring Foundation of UNCLOS”, bringing together experts and practitioners to reflect on the Convention’s enduring relevance and its role in addressing contemporary and emerging issues affecting the oceans and seas.

These four countries share a longstanding commitment to safeguarding the integrity, universality and unity of UNCLOS, and 🇲🇹 Malta remains committed to upholding a rules-based international order and advancing effective ocean governance.



Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations

Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Daudey Affarijiet Barranin

Conflict-related sexual violence is not an inevitable consequence of war. It is a violation of human rights, a breach of international humanitarian law, and a threat to peace and security 🕊️

On the 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭, we honour the strength and resilience of survivors and reaffirm our commitment to justice, accountability, and prevention.

As a member of the United Nations Security Council (2023–2024), Malta placed the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence at the centre of its Women, Peace and Security agenda, calling for accountability, survivor-centred approaches, and strengthened international action.

Today, we stand with survivors and renew our collective commitment to ending these crimes and building a future rooted in dignity, protection and peace.



Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Affarijiet Barranin

🗣️ This International Day for Countering Hate Speech, highlights the importance of partnerships in countering hate speech and fostering more inclusive, peaceful, and resilient societies. Malta reaffirms its commitment to promoting dialogue, tolerance, mutual respect, and the protection of human rights for all, including the prevention of hate speech.



Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Daudey Affarijiet Barranin

🗳️ How is the UN Secretary-General appointed?

The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Thanks to successive recent UNGA resolutions, the selection process has become more open and inclusive of all Member States ⬇️

The prospective Secretary-General candidates have participated in individual interactive dialogues, giving the opportunity to all UN Member States, as well as Civil Society Organisations, to engage directly with candidates, hear their visions for the United Nations, and ask questions 🎤

📺 These dialogues, held before the Security Council begins its deliberations, are webcast publicly as part of wider efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and participation in the selection process. The participation of Civil Society Organisations has also been included to ensure a thematic balance in the discussions.

🇲🇹 Malta has participated in these dialogues, supporting a more transparent, inclusive and representative process for the selection of the UN's highest official for the next five years.



Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Daudey Affarijiet Barranin

At the 36th Meeting of the States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (SPLOS), 🇲🇹 Malta reaffirmed its commitment to a safe, secure and rules-based maritime order.

The statement was delivered by H.E. Prof. Simone Borg, Malta's Ambassador-at-Large on Climate Action, who highlighted four key priorities:

🚢 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 – Malta condemned attacks on commercial vessels and stressed that merchant commercial vessels and their crews must be protected under international law.

🌍 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Malta reaffirmed that all countries must be able to move safely and freely through international waters, a principle that is essential for global peace, trade and economic stability.

🌊 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 – Malta called for the deep seabed and its resources to remain a shared responsibility, managed multilaterally for the benefit of all humanity and with strong environmental safeguards.

🌡️ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Malta underlined that climate action and ocean protection are inseparable, as increasingly severe weather events threaten ports, shipping routes and the resilience of island states.

As a leading maritime nation and a long-standing advocate for multilateralism, Malta continues to champion international cooperation to ensure our oceans remain safe, sustainable and governed by international law.



Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Affarijiet Barranin

🌊 PR Natasha Meli delivered a statement on behalf of 🇫🇯 Fiji, 🇯🇲 Jamaica, 🇸🇬 Singapore and 🇲🇹 Malta – four States that played formative roles in the negotiation, drafting and conclusion of UNCLOS. Together, we share a longstanding commitment to safeguarding the integrity, universality and unity of the Convention, and to ensuring that it continues to serve as the enduring foundation for ocean governance.

The group affirmed the centrality of UNCLOS in responding to emerging challenges, particularly sea-level rise, as it is the essential legal framework for the resilience, security and prosperity of island and developing States.

The message was clear: the legal tools already exist. What is needed now is collective action and a strong commitment from all States to uphold international law.



Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations

Chris Fearne Christopher Cutajar Natasha Meli Affarijiet Barranin