| Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin u Ewropej u l-Kummerċ | |
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 Maltese andEuropean Union flags at the headquarters of the ministry | |
| Agency overview | |
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| Jurisdiction | Malta and itsdiplomatic missions worldwide |
| Headquarters | Palazzo Parisio, Merchant Street,Valletta, VLT 1171 |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | foreignandeu |
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TheMinistry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (Maltese:Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin u Ewropej u l-Kummerċ) is responsible for maintainingMalta'sexternal relations and the management of itsinternational diplomatic missions. The currentminister isIan Borg.[1] The ministry is headquartered atPalazzo Parisio, a historic building situated on Merchants Street inValletta.[2][3]
Malta attained full independence from theUnited Kingdom in 1964 and has maintained independent, official diplomatic relations with other nations since then.[1] The ministry moved to its current location, within the Palazzo Parisio, in 1973, although the building itself was built in the 1700s and was once occupied byNapoleon Bonaparte during hisinvasion of Malta, as part of theEgyptian campaign.[4] The Palazzo Parisio has housed certain government operations starting in 1886 with Malta's General Post Office and, afterWorld War I, the nation's Audit Office.[4]
The ministry oversees Malta's affairs with foreign entities, including bilateral relations with individual nations and its representation in international organizations, including theEuropean Union, theUnited Nations and theCouncil of Europe. The ministry also holds responsibility for matters related to foreign trade,expatriates,citizenship and travelvisas.[5]
TheHoly See'sapostolic nuncio is always listed first in Malta'sOrder of Precedence of foreignambassadors and otherheads of mission, regardless of the incumbent nuncio's time in office. The nuncio is then followed by a traditional precedence based on the foreign representatives' length of appointment.[6]
Several foreign missions to Malta, including those to large nations like Brazil and Japan, are accredited to it throughembassies in Rome, Italy. There are no Maltese diplomatic missions physically located in South America.[7]
In 2011 and 2012, the ministry was involved in international efforts to address theLibyan civil war, in part because of Malta's geographic proximity toLibya and the history ofrefugees and illegal immigrants leaving Libya for Malta.[8][9]
Refugee camps and the handling of matters of immigration and visitor status are the responsibility of the ministry. Foreign Minister Borg has called for Libya'sNational Transitional Council to accede to theGeneva Convention, something the African nation had not previously done underMuammar Gaddafi's regime.[10]
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| Americas | ||
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| Oceania | ||
| Former states | ||
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| Related topics | ||
35°53′46″N14°30′42″E / 35.89611°N 14.51167°E /35.89611; 14.51167
