Nehammer receives his Maltese counterpart Abela

In terms of security policy, the two neutral countries also operate similarly. In addition, Malta is currently being considered as the possible next chair of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Nehammer welcomes the Social Democratic politician with military honors in front of the Federal Chancellery at 9 a.m. A joint press conference is planned for 10:30 a.m. Abela has been in office since 2020. His controversial predecessor Joseph Muscat had to resign in connection with the scandal surrounding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who had researched corruption in the smallest EU state. The government of Malta is taking a tough line on the migration issue and is not allowing sea rescue ships to enter its ports. At the beginning of the year, Nehammer, Abela and five other EU heads of government wrote to the EU leaders calling for more EU measures to protect external borders, faster deportations and new return agreements with third countries.

In view of NATO’s northern expansion, Austria is keen to coordinate closely with Malta in terms of security policy, which, along with Cyprus and Ireland, is the only remaining neutral partner country in the EU. During a visit to Valletta in June, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) emphasized that Malta and Austria had similar positions in many areas and that closer cooperation in cyber defense and exercises for foreign missions were planned. Abela visits Vienna two days before the OSCE annual meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia, where a solution must be found to the leadership crisis that threatens the security organization’s existence. Because Russia has been blocking Estonia’s candidacy for the OSCE chairmanship in 2024 for over a year, diplomats say Malta could step in. This has not been officially confirmed. Austria has so far advocated extending the mandate of the current chairmanship country, North Macedonia.

In the afternoon, Nehammer will also meet with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. However, no press release dates have been announced. Abiy received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for his initiative for reconciliation with neighboring Eritrea, which had been hostile for years. However, a civil war with rebels in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which ultimately ended in 2022, significantly damaged the head of government’s international reputation.

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