Diplomat Magazine had an insightful conversation with H.E. Mr. Jeffrey Curmi, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Netherlands. The discussion highlighted the evolution of bilateral ties, Malta’s role in multilateral diplomacy, and the country’s commitment to international peace and security.
How would you describe the key milestones in Malta-Netherlands relations over the past 60 years?
This year, we are marking the 60th anniversary since Malta and the Netherlands established Diplomatic relations in 1965.
Since the very beginning, Malta has always demonstrated a strong commitment towards establishing close relations with the Netherlands. Whereas our diplomatic ties were officially recognised just a few months after Malta gained its Independence, for the last twenty years Malta has also been cooperating closely with the Netherlands as a fellow EU MS.
What are the main priorities for Malta’s engagement with the Netherlands and international institutions in The Hague?
As Malta’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, I am honoured to be serving in a country with whom we share common values and priorities. The 60th anniversary instils in us a sense of responsibility which will hopefully push both countries to continue to enhance our bilateral relations while working closely on a wide range of files.
Besides our bilateral relations with the Netherlands, as an Embassy, we also cover several International Courts and Tribunals, while also serving as Malta’s Permanent Representation to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In the last couple of years, Malta has played a key role in the multilateral field. Our country has proudly served as an elected member of the UN Security Council between 2023-2024, while also Chairing the OSCE in 2024. In both endeavours, Malta has successfully demonstrated its strong credentials in serving as an honest broker and bridge builder, through the adoption of concrete resolutions. This is obviously a manifestation of the hard work and dedication which has been undertaken by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg and all officials at our Ministry and Missions, especially those which have been dealing directly with these files.
Malta’s UNSC term continued to reinforce Malta’s commitment towards multilateralism, peace and security. It is worth mentioning that although the current international political climate is not very conducive towards cooperation due to several ongoing wars, two Malta led UNSC Resolutions; a resolution on Children and Armed Conflict and a resolution on the Israel-Gaza war, were successfully adopted.
Within the OSCE, we are proud of Malta’s achievements in providing the organisation with the stability it needs to continue to serve as a forum for dialogue and trust building between participating States. Despite the challenging times during which Malta assumed the Chairpersonship, Malta successfully managed to achieve continuity and to steer the organisation forward by securing a decision on the top four positions within the organisation, and a decision on the 2026 Chairpersonship.
Malta has been actively involved in multilateral diplomacy—what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities in today’s global political climate?
Our Embassy and Permanent Representation in the Hague is inspired to take full advantage of Malta’s positive global reputation and the trust we enjoy at the International Level, to continue to promote multilateral initiatives which are aimed at restoring trust, cooperation, and justice.
In our capacity as Permanent Representation to the OPCW, Malta will continue to call for the full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, in an effort to safeguard humankind from Chemical Weapons. Within this context, we attach great importance towards addressing past injustices while also mitigating against future risks. In particular, Malta has been raising awareness on the possible negative implications of AI across Weapons of Mass Destruction Categories, in an effort to consider mechanisms through which insights on AI can be shared across all international fora dealing with Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Regrettably, efforts to raise doubt about the impartiality of the Technical Secretariat politicises the organisation and could potentially hamper its effectiveness. Conscious of the challenging environment in which the OPCW is operating, Malta underscores its full trust in the professionalism of the OPCW Director General and Technical Secretariat.
In view of the ongoing challenges which the global community is facing, lately at the ICJ we are witnessing a proliferation of cases. In addition, the ICC is also dealing with several delicate cases. Within the global multilateral framework, Malta attaches great importance towards full adherence with international law. In this regard, in our engagements with all Courts and Tribunals in the Hague, I would like to reiterate Malta’s unwavering support to the Courts and their staff, who despite their commitment towards international peace and justice, are facing considerable outside pressure and threats.
In addition to the current international legal framework, the Embassy is also participating in efforts to ensure accountability for crimes of aggression. Following the establishment in The Hague of the Register of Damage for Ukraine in 2024, we are now engaged in efforts to set up a Claims Commission for Ukraine. In a similar vein, this year, we are also looking forward for the upcoming ICC Special Session on the review of the amendments on the crime of aggression, where Malta will be supporting efforts to extend the ICC’s jurisdiction in an effort to ensure harmonisation between all crimes.
