VALLETTA (MALTA) – Malta has signed what is being hailed as a historic agreement for the opening of a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) within the Global Maritime Centre in Valletta.
The new office will form part of the Global Centre for Maritime Security and Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM), an international initiative aimed at strengthening maritime oversight and integrity. According to a government statement, the UNODC will operate independently within the centre, particularly focusing on the Sanctions Monitoring sector based in Malta.
The agreement was signed in Vienna by Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Ian Borg, and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.
The collaboration will see the UNODC providing support to Malta’s GCMSM operations in coordination with Antigua and Barbuda in the coming months. This partnership marks the first international centre of its kind dedicated to real-time maritime monitoring.
The Malta-based UNODC office will play a key role in helping authorities identify vessels involved in illicit activities, including smuggling and sanctions evasion. Through the Euro MUSE initiative, the centre will offer technical expertise to aid in investigations and the prosecution of maritime crimes.
Officials say this development significantly strengthens Malta’s position as a leader in global maritime security.
Photo: DOI
