During his visit to Malta the Hon Prime Minister Enrico Letta visited the Italian destroyer “Durand de la Penne”, berthed in the Grand Harbour. Accompanied by the Ambassador of Italy Giovanni Umberto De Vito, the two Prime Ministers were welcomed on board by the Minister of Defence the Hon. Mario Mauro, by the Defence Chief of Staff Admiral Binelli Mantelli and by the Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral De Giorgi. This was the first visit by the Head of the Italian Government on a ship involved in the Mare Nostrum operation which was launched on the 18th of October 2013 in a vast area of the Central Mediterranean.
During the visit, in which even the Maltese Minister of Home Affairs and of National Security Emmanuel Mallia participated, the results already achieved by “Mare Nostrum” were explained. Its dual role was highlighted in terms of prevention of further tragedies and of a more efficient instrument to fight human trafficking and criminal organizations in the Mediterranean. The ongoing operative collaboration in rescue at sea and the exchange of information with the Armed Forces of Malta were positively registered.
The Maltese side expressed its gratitude to Italy for its efforts to save human lives in the Mediterranean describing the operation “Mare Nostrum” as a game changer.
The Embassy endeavours to deepen further the collaboration with Malta in the fight against human trafficking in the Mediterranean and to bring it to a European Union level through more efficient common actions against migrant traffickers.