Today, at the Magistral Palace in Rome, the Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, received Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Crisis Preparedness and Management and Equality. The meeting was an important opportunity to strengthen the collaboration between the European Union and the Order of Malta, with particular focus on humanitarian challenges linked to emergencies.
During the meeting, Commissioner Lahbib expressed her appreciation for the Order of Malta’s humanitarian work in complex scenarios such as the Middle East. She then talked about her recent visit to Syria – the first EU official to enter the country – highlighting the need for the European Union’s integrated response to guarantee the necessary support for the population, with particular focus on the refugee crisis.
The Order of Malta’s humanitarian activities were then discussed, particularly in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. The Grand Chancellor, together with Clemens Mirbach, Secretary General of Malteser International, illustrated the main initiatives of the Order’s international relief agency. Also highlighted were Malteser International’s projects carried out with ECHO, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, discussing the possibility of developing further alliances.
The visit – which is the first meeting between the Sovereign Order of Malta and a member of the current European Commission – testifies to the common commitment to tackle global challenges.