Maltese diplomatic officer granted EU medal for role in Libyan training mission

Anis Cassar, a diplomatic officer within the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, has been presented with the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal for his work with a European mission to train Libyan border management agencies and personnel.

This is the first time that a Maltese national has been presented with this award.

Cassar served on secondment with the European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) for around nine months in 2014.

In a statement, the government said that this secondment was made “in order to demonstrate Malta’s exceptionally strong commitment to the country”.

“The mission has been fraught with challenges resulting from the deteriorating security environment in the country,” the government said. “This has impinged on its ability to effectively carry out its mandate and eventually led to its temporary relocation to Tunis in August 2014, and a downsizing of its personnel.”

Two officers from the Armed Forces of Malta remain deployed with the European mission in Tunis, providing maritime support and training to Libya’s Naval Coast Guard and Navy. 

“Despite the challenges, Malta has consistently been a strong supporter of EUBAM,” the government said. “Libya from its very inception in recognition of the fact that Libya’s border security is a necessary prerequisite to state-building, as well as security in the wider Mediterranean region.”