The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement was signed by CIHEAM Secretary General Teodoro Miano and the Secretary General for Foreign Affairs of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Ambassador Giampaolo Cantini, on the sidelines of the international conference ” Humanitarian and Scientific Diplomacy in the 21st Century: New Synergies for Global Challenges,” held on 16 January 2026 at CIHEAM in Bari and concluding the 21st International Cooperation Days.

The Memorandum establishes a framework for collaboration in the joint design and implementation of training activities, technical assistance, educational, cultural and research initiatives, with particular reference to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the protection of human rights, through joint projects and initiatives to be developed in third countries. The agreement aims to promote a cooperation model capable of integrating scientific knowledge, operational capabilities, and diplomatic vision, in order to strengthen the impact of interventions in support of the most vulnerable populations.

This collaboration enhances the complementarity between CIHEAM – a Mediterranean intergovernmental organization committed to advanced training, scientific research, and development cooperation in the fields of agriculture, food security, and rural development – ​​and the Sovereign Order of Malta, which operates in over 130 countries through healthcare, social, and humanitarian activities, respecting the principles of neutrality and impartiality.