From January to June 2017, Malta is chairing the EU Council. In that framework, SKOP, Malta’s national NGDO platform and member of CONCORD, and its members will use this opportunity to promote development education, raise awareness on development cooperation policies and build public knowledge on the SDGs. The following article will guide you through the Maltese priorities as well as the main development activities covered under the Presidency.
SKOP is currently implementing a project titled “Educating for change: Capitalising on the EU Presidency in Malta to raise awareness on Agenda 2030”. This project is a comprehensive capacity building programme assisting and supporting the relevant national and local government representatives, civil society organisations and other relevant actors in Malta. Fostering awareness and a critical understanding of the interconnectivity of development issues in the lens of the 2030 Agenda will be at the core of the upcoming activities.
Below, find the main priorities for the Presidency. The national NGDO platform SKOP will focus on two of them: migration and climate change.
Climate change
During the Malta EU Presidency 2017, Civil society organisations (CSO) aim to increase public awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and development issues in particular migration and climate change issues affecting the Mediterranean region. The EU has already set “concrete objectives” focusing the sustainability and continuing development of the Mediterranean maritime sector.
Migration
The NGDO platform, SKOP, will be able to influence policy makers to address the interconnected topics of irregular migration, forced migration and asylum which are official policy priorities for Malta Presidency.
Malta has over the past decades played an important role in bridging the gap between the Global North and South. Forced migration is to be understood as a consequence of failed development as well as an inevitable reality, challenging both asylum seekers and the European Southern shores’ populations, including Malta.
EU Concrete Objectives:
- Common European Asylum System strengthening;
- Dublin Regulation revision;
- Tackling the root causes of migration.
Security
Security Objectives :
- The EU’s first line of work in this area remains effective diplomacy, close work with the European External Action Service under the umbrella of the EU’s Global Strategy to manage the complex challenges of migration, terrorism, and hybrid threats;
- Improving the governance of Euro just in order to ensure more coordinated criminal justice cooperation across borders, thereby better protecting citizens against international criminal activities such as trafficking, terrorism and money-laundering.
Social inclusion
Through its main project, SKOP will promote a holistic and innovative approach to Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR). By contributing to anchor development in the daily reality of the general population, they will be mobilised to take action to ensure a decent life for all.
Social Inclusion Objectives :
- Malta will continue to combat gender-based violence, in particular by promoting the sharing of best practices and exchanging information on existing legislation, policies and strategies, as well as statistical data and studies;
- Improving participation of women in the labour market. The Maltese Presidency will aim to achieve progress on issues relating to gender balance including the Proposal for a Directive on improving gender balance among directors of companies listed on stock exchanges;
- Malta will hold a Ministerial-Level Conference on LGBTIQ issues in order to further explore the Commission’s roadmap on this area.
For more information, you can visit Malta EU 2017 Official website.