President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has recently embarked on the first state visit by a Maltese head of state to the Republic of Chile.
At the La Moneda Palace, in Santiago, President Coleiro Preca was welcomed by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, with whom she later had a private meeting.
President Coleiro Preca and President Bachelet recently met during an event, which focused on the empowerment of women and issues of gender-based violence. The event was organised by the Council of World Women Leaders, of which President Coleiro Preca is a member.
The Maltese leaders said she was proud and reassured that both presidents “stand in solidarity with all peoples who are experiencing exclusion, violence, and precarity, simply because of their gender,” and she was even more proud to have President Bachelet as a committed ally in the work which had to be done, “to ensure that equality and equity become a reality in the lives of every women and girl in our world.”
During their meeting, both Presidents spoke about the development of relations between the peoples and the authorities of Malta and Chile, from one based on the diplomatic relations which began in 1989, to a more profound relationship “between our communities and our governments”.
A memorandum of understanding on political consultations was also signed by Environment Minister José Herrera, on behalf of the Maltese Foreign Ministry.
President Coleiro Preca said that the agreement would greatly facilitate regular consultations between Malta and Chile, on bilateral, regional, and international matters of mutual interest.
Source: Times Of Malta
