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Advertisers MFSC - Malta Financial Services Centre Maltese-American Chamber of Commerce METCO - Malta External Trade Corporation Ltd.
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Building bridges and embracing the future
By Johane Celestin Today we celebrate that Independence Day along with the Maltese people, some of whom are right here in the United States. This is also a very fitting time to look at present-day Malta, a country that has managed to combine the knowledge, ingenuity, diplomacy and survival skills derived from the chapters of its vast history, and the keen awareness of constantly changing world trends to transform itself into a ‘big-minded’ contender, as countries of all sizes and backgrounds feverishly try to position themselves advantageously within today’s new economic world order.
At the dawn of the twenty-first century, Malta is contemplating the daunting task of making all of its ambitious objectives a reality. Its current government, headed by Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami, has taken a methodical, business-like approach to the re-engineering and marketing of Malta for the new millennium – not surprising, since various cabinet members are themselves former business and industry leaders who understand the dynamics of business.
Here in Washington, D.C., at the Connecticut Avenue locale of the Maltese Embassy, Ambassador George B. Saliba has been- since his 1999 appointment- doing his part in the overall positioning of Malta, in both a promotion and advocacy capacity. One area of focus for the Maltese Ambassador is the maximization of all opportunities that present themselves to either underscore or build on all that Malta has to offer.
The European Union
Currently, Malta is undergoing an extensive membership application process, which its Government hopes will lead to accession as a full member of the European Union in 2003. This application process has been the catalyst for many changes and processes that are already affecting, to various degrees, virtually all the areas of Malta’s politico-economic landscape.
First, it is important to realize that, in its international relationships, Malta is held in high regard. "Malta already plays a relevant and vital role, despite our size as a nation," says Ambassador Saliba. Therefore, why belong to a group? Why seek entry into the European Union in particular? Ambassador Saliba explains, "Right now, we don’t belong to any block. Yes, we are in the Mediterranean, together with Southern Europeans and North African countries; but still we are in a way isolated. As things now stand, our European neighbors belong within the E.U.; our North African neighbors are members of the Arab League. We’ve had to ask ourselves, ‘Where does Malta belong?’ It is a basic fact that we need a linkage somewhere. Creating that linkage with Europe is a natural fit,” Ambassador Saliba explains. “There is no question that the Maltese are a European people.”
Besides complete access to European markets, Ambassador Saliba also foresees that additional diplomatic weight would result from Malta’s full membership in the European Union. "Today,” he explains, “when I represent Malta at an international summit, I only represent one country – a very small country. Once Malta becomes a E.U. member, I will form part, together with other E.U. colleauges, collectively representing a very influential group. This will give more weight to our contribution to such meetings, as well as alter the extent of what I, as an ambassador, can achieve on the international diplomatic platform."
Bilateral relations with the United States
When it comes to the core values that bind Malta and the United States, Ambassador Saliba believes that "democracy and human rights are the basic starting point for this bilateral connection. In Malta, we strongly uphold human rights, and believe in doing things the way they should be done; and this is the sort of solid base on which successful joint initiatives can be built." Starting from this basic pillar, the thrust of Malta’s objective is to generate more interest in Malta from the United States- both in the arenas of tourism and business.
As a compelling example of what Malta can offer the U.S., Ambassador Saliba cites Cybernation, a report published by The American Electronics Association (AEA) and the Nasdaq Stock Market, in which, each year, trends and opportunities are identified for the high-technology industry in the U.S. and various parts of the world. This year’s edition of Cybernation identified Malta as "the fastest growing small market for U.S. tech exports in Europe." The creation of business relationships within the global IT sector is an objective of primary importance for the country’s leadership who believes that Malta can create itself a niche in the global marketplace. This niche is believed to be within the booming world of knowledge-based industries such as information technology (IT), where a country’s physical size is not in any way determining factor.
Privatization: Adaptation + Partnerships = Success
Just a few short years ago, privatization and deregulation as economic trends were still at the concept and planning stages in Malta and, as recently as 1998, the tactical implementations of these concepts were still in their inception. Today, change is everywhere, and privatization and modernization have begun affecting substantial changes in practically all aspects of Malta’s economic landscape.
One such change has been the occurrence of redundancy within the Maltese workforce, whereby a number of skilled workers, trained and established within particular industries (like textiles, for example), find themselves outside of the employment pool, because the industries they worked in for most of their lives have been supplanted by new, emerging industries for which their skill-set is not applicable. This poses a challenge to both the business community and the Maltese leadership as they strive to make Malta globally competitive, without losing sight of the national needs for employment stability, and ultimately, the quality of life of its people.
Historically, Malta has had to deal with a similar challenge when the British closed their military base in that country. A large number of Maltese workers had to be redirected to new fields of economic activity, thereby allowing them to support themselves and their families. Today, once again, Malta must rise to the challenge. In this context, attracting foreign companies to Malta not only represents an opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of the global arenas of IT, e-commerce and electronics through strategic partnerships, but "will also allow the creation of new employment positions to be filled in part by ‘redundant’ workers willing to be retrained," explains Ambassador Saliba.
A Y2K goal and an open invitation
When it comes to his own role in the strengthening of the links between Malta and the United States, Ambassador Saliba’s high priority is to help attract American investment into Malta. "I will strive to make that happen during my tenure. We want our workforce to produce quality products. ST Microelectronics, for example, is already doing that in Malta. Last year alone, ST Microelectronics exported millions of dollars worth of microchips to the U.S. We want more companies like them to come in, because we are ready; our workforce is very productive, our production costs low, and past experience shows us that we can use our labor force properly, and get as much as possible out of global trends."
“On the tourism side, we hope Americans will discover Malta. With the new cruise line terminal being built, we want to attract tourists from the U.S. and the world. As the terminal makes Malta more known and more accessible, people will visit – if only for one day – and will see our fantastic Grand Harbour and the truly unique and different place that is Malta. Tourists will see that Malta is a country of historical richness, complete with abundant temples, dating back to the neolithic period; baroque churches; and miles of other impressive archeological remains that make Malta’s beauty unparalled. In the midst of all of this beauty, the English-speaking, friendly Maltese people will make any visitor feel right at home. It’s really something to experience," concludes Ambassador Saliba.
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Table of Contents Building bridges and embracing the future |
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To describe Malta as a small Mediterranean nation comprised of three inhabited islands, would in no way convey the depth and magnitude of that country’s roots and vision. While Malta does in fact only occupy a 196-square-mile area, the aspirations and drive of the Maltese psyche are definitely not "built-to-size." On September 21, 1964 - 36 years ago- Malta gained its independence, and emerged from domination by the British (and centuries of successive conquests) and started to work at creating its own destiny as a free nation.
"If I had to encapsulate today’s Malta in one phrase,” Ambassador Saliba mentions, “it would be ‘a very modern country with a very educated population’. Yet this vibrant, modern Malta has a tremendous history, which makes the country itself an open museum. Wherever you walk in Malta, you are walking through history."