“Malta and Switzerland playing an outsized role on the UN’s biggest stage…”

Malta and Switzerland begin term as non-permanent members

The EU’s smallest Member State, and Europe’s most neutral nation, are set to play outsized roles in world events over the next two years, as Malta and Switzerland begin their term as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. 

Apart from France and the United Kingdom — which are two of the five permanent members of the council, with their own veto votes — Malta and Switzerland are carrying the mantle for Western Europe and taking the lead on some potentially incendiary subjects. 

Switzerland – in particular will have to put aside its traditional neutrality and make some decidedly un-neutral decisions during the next few years, but they’ve found a workaround to this. 

The Swiss — who only became a member of the United Nations in 2002 — say their four main priorities while on the Security Council are to promote sustainable peace, protect civilians, strengthen efficiency, and tackle climate change. 

Malta – The EU’s smallest Member State, Malta, is returning as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the second time — their only other time was back in the early 1980s — but they’re seemingly unphased by what lies ahead.

“Malta recognises that the primary duty of all Council Members is to work collectively to promote international peace and security and to prevent conflict, which is all too present around the world — in Ukraine, and elsewhere,” says Rodrick Zerafa from Malta’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

The Mediterranean country wants their time on the Council to shine a spotlight on eradicating the use of children in armed conflict; promoting literacy and rights of women; and increasing knowledge of rising sea levels which threatens a number of small island states around the world, including Malta. 

Biden formally launches 2024 re-election bid

US President Joe Biden has formally announced his plans to run for reelection in 2024 saying: “This is our moment… Let’s finish this job, I know we can” in a video message.

Biden hopes voters will set aside their concerns about extending the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.

Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic rivals. But he’s still set to face a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation.

The announcement comes on the four-year anniversary of when Biden declared his bid for the White House in 2019, promising to heal the “soul of the nation” amid the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump, a goal that has remained elusive.

International rescue: foreign governments lift diplomats out of Sudan 

Foreign governments evacuated diplomats, staff and others trapped in Sudan on Sunday as rival generals battled for a ninth day with no sign of a truce that had been declared for a major Muslim holiday.

While world powers like the U.S. and Britain airlifted their diplomats from the capital of Khartoum, Sudanese desperately sought to flee the chaos. Many risked dangerous roads to seek safer spots or crossed the northern frontier into Egypt.

“My family — my mother, my siblings and my nephews — are on the road from Sudan to Cairo through Aswan,” prominent Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abual-Ala wrote on Facebook.

Fighting raged in Omdurman, a city across the Nile from Khartoum, residents said, despite a hoped-for cease-fire to coincide with the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

“We did not see such a truce,” Amin al-Tayed said from his home near state TV headquarters in Omdurman, adding that heavy gunfire and thundering explosions rocked the city.

Malta Company Announcements

BMIT Technologies p.l.c

The Directors of BMIT are recommending the payment of a net dividend of €0.0246 per share which is 1.5% lower than the net dividend of €0.02497 per share in respect of the 2021 financial year. Shareholders as at close of trading on 4 April 2023 will be entitled to receive the dividend which is expected to be paid on 12 May 2023 subject to shareholders’ approval during the upcoming Annual General Meeting which is scheduled to be held on 10 May 2023.

Malta International Airport p.l.c

The Board of Directors is recommending a final net dividend of €0.12 per share to be paid not later than 26 May 2023 to all shareholders as at close of trading on 4 April 2023. MIA had last paid a dividend in September 2019 which amounted to €0.03 per share and related to the interim net dividend for the 2019 financial year.

GO p.l.c

The Directors of GO are recommending the payment of an unchanged final net dividend of €0.09 per share. Coupled with the interim net dividend of €0.06 (2021: €0.07) per share paid in September 2022, the total net dividend for the year amounts to €0.15 per share which is 6.3% lower than the previous year. The final net dividend is payable on 15 May 2023 to all shareholders as at the close of trading on 5 April 2023 subject to shareholders’ approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled for 11 May 2023.

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