Swiss president puts spotlight on digital diplomacy in visit to Malta

While in Malta, the Swiss president attended a summit on digital governance to mark 20 years since Malta and Switzerland co-founded Diplo, an NGO that helps developing countries build their digital diplomacy capacities. Keystone / Lino Arrigo Azzopardi

Ignazio Cassis signed an agreement on Friday for a second contribution to the small European Union state that will finance projects to the tune of CHF3.56 million ($3.73 million) until 2029.

Cassis said the implementation plan for Switzerland’s financial contribution, which it makes to some EU member states, was an opportunity to strengthen relations with Malta. The projects lie mainly in the field of cardiovascular health.

During his official state visit, Cassis met with foreign minister Ian Borg. The two men praised their countries’ strong bilateral cooperation in digital diplomacy. In 2002, the two countries created Diplo, a Geneva-based NGO that helps developing nations build their capacities in this field. Both ministers took part in a summit on digital governance on Friday marking the 20^th anniversary of Diplo. Digitalisation and science diplomacy are central pillars of Switzerland’s foreign policy strategy.

Borg and Cassis also discussed relations between Bern and Brussels, which became strained after the Swiss government decided to abandon years of negotiations on an agreement to consolidate ties. Also on the agenda was the United Nations Security Council, where both Malta and Switzerland will occupy non-permanent seats for a two-year period starting January 2023.