Five days of high-level meetings, with the conclusion of agreements and the extension of the Order of Malta’s diplomatic network, marked the mission of the Order’s Grand Chancellor in New York, during the opening week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly from 21 to 25 September.
In meetings with the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of Lebanon, Youssef Rajji, and the State Secretary of the Federal Republic of Germany, Geza Andreas von Geyr, a common concept was expressed: the trust the Order enjoys in the countries – some 130 – in which it operates worldwide and thus its high standing at both the institutional and population levels. The intention to strengthen existing collaborations or launch new ones, as in the case of the Emirates, was confirmed with the three senior government representatives.
In Lebanon, the Order will continue to be at the forefront in supporting communities through its national association, especially in the south of the country, where the impact of the conflict and the deterioration of social conditions are greatest. In all the major theatres of humanitarian crisis, from Ukraine to Gaza to Lebanon, the Grand Chancellor said, Germany is the Order of Malta’s primary state-level donor.
During the New York meetings, the Grand Chancellor also signed a series of bilateral agreements that, first and foremost, enabled diplomatic relations to be opened with three African countries: Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. With these agreements, the number of countries with which the Order of Malta maintains diplomatic relations has risen to 118, including 42 in Africa (out of 54 African Union member states).
The declarations of intent signed with Tuvalu and Eswatini are part of this strategy of strengthening the Order’s international profile. Two cooperation agreements with Cyprus and Micronesia, with the intention of facilitating humanitarian operational activities, completed the list of understandings.
Intervening at two major events – the Crimea Platform on Ukraine and the meeting on humanitarian diplomacy convened at the initiative of Saudi Arabia – the Grand Chancellor explained the Order of Malta’s mission and experience: humanitarian aid marked by principles of neutrality; special attention to the weakest sections of the population; the determination and ability to operate in contexts of great difficulty and extreme risk, in Ukraine, Gaza, southern Lebanon and elsewhere.
The Grand Chancellor strongly asserted the need to enforce International Humanitarian Law to ensure the protection of civilian populations and humanitarian workers.
Another key message is that humanitarian aid cannot in itself cover the needs of the population without first creating that peace and stability necessary for restoring essential social services.
