After the New York and Geneva stages, it was the turn of the mission in Vienna for the official celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Sovereign Order of Malta as a Permanent Observer to the United Nations. Welcomed by the Order of Malta’s Ambassador Günther A. Granser, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna and to UNIDO, Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo arrived in the Austrian capital on 26 November for a series of official meetings in different UN agencies and organisations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an organisation that encourages the peaceful use of nuclear energy by forestalling its military applications with whom the Order of Malta has renewed its collaboration in the healthcare sector, namely in cancer prevention and therapy. The Grand Chancellor met with Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, signing practical measures in the “Rays of hope” programme, which aims to improve cancer treatment in West African countries by training healthcare workers and installing radiation therapy equipment. During the meeting, the Grand Chancellor offered the Order of Malta’s support also through health facilities in African countries.
The Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Gerd Müller, received Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo to sign a joint declaration for improving the living conditions of people in the southern hemisphere, reducing poverty through sustainable agriculture and water-management projects. UNIDO is committed to achieving the sustainable development goal ‘Zero Hunger’ by 2030, launching a joint study with the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and identifying an annual investment of 50 billion dollars over 10 years, in terms of infrastructure, innovation and technology, the solution for ending world hunger. An appeal supported by Director Müller, to whom the Grand Chancellor has offered membership in the Order of Malta.
The meeting with Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was the occasion for signing a joint declaration on the shared humanitarian commitment to combat migrant smuggling. The cooperation also includes raising the awareness of younger people of the risks related to drug abuse.
The Grand Chancellor had an official meeting with Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), whose main mission is to prevent nuclear explosions. The Executive Secretary outlined the crucial role of CTBTO in mitigating disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, with a monitoring system that enables governments to implement immediate responses. The possibility was therefore discussed of collaboration with the Order of Malta, specifically with its international relief agency, Malteser International, which specializes in humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
