UAE1

General Information

National Identity

Official Language(s)Maltese, English

National CurrencyEuro (EUR)

National Day(s)21 September (Independence Day)

Capitals

Political / Administrative CapitalValletta

Economic CapitalValletta

Cultural CapitalValletta

Transport & Connectivity

Flight Duration from the UAE≈ 6.5 – 7.5 h Connecting flights

Primary AirportMalta International Airport (MLA)

Primary PortPort of Valletta

Geography

Land Area-

Length of the Coastline196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)

Highest PointTa’ Dmejrek (253 m)

Primary Inland Water Body / RiverNone

ClimateMediterranean

Border Countries

None (island country)

0

Last Updated: July 2026Source: Internal Research

Key Facts

The Maymunah Stone is Malta’s most important archaeological find from its Arab period. It is a beautifully preserved 12th-century marble tombstone commemorating a young Muslim woman named Maymunah.

King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta in 1942 for their bravery in World War II, and it is still on the national flag.

The set built for the 1980 Popeye movie is now a colorful theme park called Popeye Village.

Malta is a popular destination for sailing, diving and other water sports.

The waters around Comino are known for their crystal-clear seas and marine life.

Maltese has Arabic roots and substantial Romance and English influences, but is written in the Latin alphabet.

Malta’s annual Carnival is one of the country’s oldest and most colorful festivals.

The Maltese falcon was historically prized for its rarity and elegance.

Mdina, known as the “Silent City,” was Malta’s ancient capital and is famous for its narrow medieval streets.

Valletta was founded in 1566 after the Great Siege of 1565. Its planned streets, fortifications and major public buildings reflect the Knights’ determination to construct a defensible capital.

Malta has served as a filming location for numerous international movies and television series, such as Game of Thrones.

Traditional wooden fishing boats known as luzzus are a symbol of Malta’s maritime heritage.

Last Updated: July 2026Source: Internal Research

Economic Overview

Macroeconomic Snapshot

GDP, current prices-USD Billions

Real GDP growth-Annual percent change (%)

GDP per capita, current prices-USD per capita

Population-Millions of people

General government gross debt-% of GDP

Income levelWorld Bank classification-

Economic Comparison

Indicator	Malta	UAE
GDP, current pricesUSD Billions	-	-
GDP, PPPCurrent int$	-	-
Real GDP growthAnnual percent change (%)	-	-
GDP per capita, current pricesUSD per capita	-	-
PopulationMillions of people	-	-
Unemployment rate% of total labor force	-	-
Inflation rate (avg. consumer prices)Annual percent change (%)	-	-
General government gross debt% of GDP	-	-
Income levelWorld Bank classification	-	-

Foreign Trade

No data available for this section yet.

Political Overview

Leadership

Head of State

H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono

Since April 2024

Head of Government

H.E. Dr. Robert Abela

Since January 2020

Minister of Foreign Affairs

H.E. Dr. Chris Fearne

Since June 2026

Minister of Finance

H.E. Clyde Caruana

Since February 2024

Minister of Economy

H.E. Silvio Schembri

Since June 2026

Minister of Defense

H.E. Glenn Bedingfield

Since June 2026

Political Summary

Political System

Parliamentary Republic

The President is Head of State, while the Prime Minister and the Cabinet exercise executive authority. Malta’s Constitution establishes neutrality and non-alignment.

Ruling Party

Labour Party (PL): Centre to centre-left (since March 2013)

Main Opposition Force(s)

Nationalist Party (PN): Centre-right

Next Presidential Election

Expected in 2029

Next Legislative Election

2031

Last Updated: June 2026Source: Internal Research

Membership in Key Organizations and Blocs

56Organizations

28Member

4Founding Member

6Partner, Observer or Participant

18Not a Member

Last Updated: July 2026Source: Official websites of the respective organizations

Competitiveness Indexes

Index	Year	Rank Out of	Malta	UAE

No index matches.

Diplomatic Relations and Representation

Date of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations23 Nov 197353 years of relations

UAE Ambassador

H.E. Abdulla Ali Ateeq Al SubousiUAE Ambassador to Malta · Non-resident

Foreign Ambassador

H.E. Emmanuel MalliaAmbassador of Malta to the UAE · Resident

Last Updated: June 2026Source: MoFA; Internal Research

Flights by UAE Carriers

Passenger Flights

October 2026 figures

7Total Weekly Passenger Flights

EYEtihad Airways0

EKEmirates7

FZflydubai0

G9Air Arabia0

Cargo Flights

October 2026 figures

0Total Weekly Cargo Flights

EYEtihad Cargo0

EKEmirates SkyCargo0

Last Updated: October 2026Source: GCAA

Consular Information

	Tourists	Residents	Students	Golden Visa Holders
Malta Nationalsin the UAE	-	-	-	-
UAE Citizensin Malta	-	-	-	-

Main Agreements and MoUs

Agreement / MOU	Status	Notes
CEPAComprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement	Not Signed	Malta is an EU member state.EU–UAE CEPA negotiations were launched on 28 May 2025.The first round of negotiations began on 24 Jun 2025.
IPPAInvestment Protection and Promotion Agreement	-	-
DTADouble Taxation Avoidance Agreement	Ratified	Signed on 13 Mar 2006.Entered into force on 13 Sep 2006.
ASAAir Services Agreement	Ratified	Signed on 10 Nov 1994.Ratified on 19 Jul 1995.

Ratified— Signed and entered into force

Signed— Signed, but entry into force or ratification is pending

Not Signed— No signed agreement exists

Last Updated: September 2026Source: Internal Research

UAE Foreign Assistance

UAE Aid to Malta	Total Amount
Amount (USD Mn)	-

Bilateral Visits

Official Visits from the UAE

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al MarriMinister of Economy
Feb2022
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al NahyanMinister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Jul2016

Official Visits to the UAE

H.E. Jo Etienne AbelaMinister for Health and Active Ageing of Malta
Feb2026
H.E. Dr. Ian BorgDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta
Dec2025
H.E. Dr. Ian BorgDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta
Apr2025
H.E. Miriam DalliMinister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness of Malta
Feb2025
H.E. Anglu FarrugiaSpeaker of the House of Representatives of Malta
Oct2024
H.E. Anglu FarrugiaSpeaker of the House of Representatives of Malta
Apr2024
H.E. Dr. Ian BorgMinister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta
Feb2024
H.E. Dr. Robert AbelaPrime Minister of Malta
Dec2023
H.E. Miriam DalliMinister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise of Malta
Dec2023
H.E. Owen BonniciMinister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government of Malta
Dec2023
H.E. Owen BonniciMinister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government of Malta
Oct2023
H.E. Dr. George VellaPresident of Malta
Jun2023
H.E. Dr. Ian BorgMinister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta
Apr2023
H.E. Dr. Ian BorgMinister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta
Oct2022
H.E. Silvio SchembriMinister for the Economy and Industry of Malta
Jan2022
H.E. Miriam DalliMinister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development of Malta
Sep2021
H.E. Evarist BartoloMinister for Foreign and European Affairs of Malta
Feb2021
H.E. Joseph MuscatPrime Minister of Malta
Dec2019
H.E. Marie Louise Coleiro PrecaPresident of Malta
Oct2018
H.E. Carmelo AbelaMinister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion of Malta
Oct2018
H.E. Joseph MuscatPrime Minister of Malta
Nov2015
H.E. Lawrence GonziPrime Minister of Malta
Apr2010
H.E. Tonio BorgDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta
Apr2010