Integration of Maltese Islands (MT0014)

Integration = Belonging – Commitment Number 2
January 2019 – December 2021
Lead implementing agency/actor
Human Rights and Integration Directorate
Ministry for European Affairs and Equality
Commitment description
What is the public problem that the commitment will address?
This Commitment focuses on the implementation of the Migrant integration Strategy. This Strategy creates a framework for understanding and offers a number of initiatives for a successful integration in Malta.
What is the commitment? Over the past few years, the Maltese Islands have become increasingly ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse. In line with this statement, this Commitment introduces initiatives such as the “I Belong” programme, inter-ministerial Committee on Integration, a Forum on Integration Affairs, actions that focus on training and development of migrants, introduction of cultural mediators amongst others. These measures create a framework for understanding and implementing successful integration.
How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?
Given that integration of migrants in a country mean helping society, the milestones in this Commitment present an opportunity to truly beside the gaps and built an open partnership between government, society and migrants in Malta.
This Commitment will thus address the concept of “true belonging.” This was a public problem brought to the attention of government during the consultations leading to this Integration Strategy.
Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?
This Commitment will certainly improve accessibility through disclosing information to migrants. For example as part of the Migrant Integration Action Plan, in order to qualify for Permanent Residence Status, migrants will attend courses that will give them knowledge of basic Maltese and English as well as Malta’s Constitution and Laws and customs.
Another point to mention is that through the for a such as the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the Forum on Integration opportunities will be created for the migrant communities to take active part in society and recommend what can be improved.
The Integration Unit in this sense will also act as the focal point for such issues.
Additional information • https://meae.gov.mt/en/Documents/migrant%20integration-EN.pdf
Migrant Integration Strategy & Action Plan
INTEGRATION = BELONGING
Vision 2020
Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable
Start Date: End Date:
I Belong Programme 2019 Dec 2020
Strengthening of the InterMinisterial Committee on
Integration 2019 Dec 2020
Engagement of Officials whose duties focus on immigration. 2019 Dec 2020
Delivery of courses for Stage 1 and Stage 2 applicants. 2019 Dec 2020
Confidence-building awareness campaigns and ‘befriend a migrant’ project 2019 Dec 2020
Pool of trained cultural mediators to be deployed as required in public services 2019 Dec 2020
Contact information
Name of responsible person from implementing agency
Alexander Tortell
Title, Department Integration Advisor, Human Rights and Integration Directorate
Email and Phone alexander.tortell@gov.mt 22263260
Other Actors Involved
State actors involved
NA
CSOs, private sector,multilateral s, working groups
In accordance to the Integration Plan as indicated.

2. Integration = Belonging

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

“This Commitment focuses on the implementation of the Migrant integration Strategy. This Strategy creates a framework for understanding and offers a number of initiatives for a successful integration in Malta.

Over the past few years, the Maltese Islands have become increasingly ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse. In line with this statement, this Commitment introduces initiatives such as the “I Belong” programme, inter-ministerial Committee on Integration, a Forum on Integration Affairs, actions that focus on training and development of migrants, introduction of cultural mediators amongst others. These measures create a framework for understanding and implementing successful integration.

Given that integration of migrants in a country mean helping society, the milestones in this Commitment present an opportunity to truly beside the gaps and built an open partnership between government, society and migrants in Malta. This Commitment will thus address the concept of “true belonging.” This was a public problem brought to the attention of government during the consultations leading to this Integration Strategy.”

Milestones:

2.1. I Belong Programme

2.2. Strengthening of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Integration

2.3. Engagement of Officials whose duties focus on immigration.

2.4. Delivery of courses for Stage 1 and Stage 2 applicants.

2.5. Confidence - building awareness campaigns and ‘befriend a migrant’ Project

2.6. Pool of trained cultural mediators to be deployed as required in public services

Start Date: 2019

End Date: 2020

Editorial note: For the full text of this commitment, see Malta’s action plan 2018-2020: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Malta_Action-Plan_2018-2020.pdf

Context and Objectives

Due to its geographical proximity to North Africa, Malta has been a major destination for migration. For example, since 2002, about 19,000 people have arrived by boat from Libya, and one-third of them have stayed on the island. [6] In 2015, the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties (MSDC) carried out a public consultation to start drafting Malta’s migrant integration strategy. [7] According to the action plan, the commitment focuses on the implementation of the migration strategy in Malta.

The commitment is based on an existing portfolio, the “Integration=Belonging. Migrant Integration Strategy & Action Plan”, [8] confirmed in June 2017. The commitment includes different actions to strengthen the Inter-Ministerial Committee on integration; develop integration and language courses for migrants; introduce cultural mediators and conduct awareness-raising campaigns (such as the procedures to apply for permanent residence status or how to enrol in language courses). These measures could ultimately provide integration opportunities for migrants and improve their ability to participate in Maltese society through a better understanding of the country’s Constitution and laws. Therefore, the commitment is relevant to the OGP value of civic participation.

The commitment is verifiable, but the first three milestones (2.1, 2.2 and 2.3) could be more specific. Although pages 9 to 12 from Malta’s Integration Strategy refer to the “I Belong Programme”, the commitment does not mention what specific actions will be taken. Moreover, there is no indication of how the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Integration will be strengthened nor what types of activities will require the engagement of government officials.

Overall, the potential impact of the commitment is minor. Although implementing a migration strategy addresses an important issue for stakeholders in the country, [9] it is difficult to assess the possible added value of this commitment to the pre-existent strategy and government portfolio. It is not clear if the government commits to fostering better compliance to the strategy or pledges to undertake new activities. Providing more details on the activities planned could have raised the ambition and potential impact of the commitment.

Next steps

This commitment could be carried forward to the next action plan as it addresses a major policy area, namely the integration of migrants. To raise its potential impact, the IRM recommends:

• Clearly establishing the added value of the commitment to Malta's Integration Strategy by, for example, assuring compliance and/or monitoring its implementation;
• Establishing a multi-stakeholder forum to monitor the implementation of the “I Belong Strategy” including migrants as ultimate beneficiaries of the commitment;
• Publishing statistics and information on how many people have used the integration services, how many migrants have taken language lessons, and how many cultural mediators have been formed;
• Delimitating a clear set of responsibilities for public mediators and public officials working on migration integration;
• Defining the target audience and set expectations of the public awareness campaigns.

Commitment 2. “Integration = Belonging”

Limited

The commitment was based on a pre-existing portfolio, the “Integration = Belonging: Migrant Integration Strategy & Action Plan”, confirmed in June 2017. [5] Specific activities included developing integration and language courses for migrants, introducing cultural mediators, and conducting awareness-raising campaigns (such as the procedures to apply for permanent residence status or how to enrol in language courses).

Despite the vagueness of the milestones, the IRM was able to determine that the commitment saw limited completion. However, it is not clear if, to what extent, or how, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Integration was strengthened. While the milestone on engagement of officials on immigration was not clear either, the government highlighted the Local Integration Charter and Action Plan (which support local officials and councilors to oversee the implementation of the charter and integrate migrants) that launched with participation from Cospicua, Msida, Mtarfa, Pembroke, Sliema, San Pawl il-Bahar and Birkirkara local authorities. [6]

The Ministry for Equality, Research & Innovation stated that between 2018 and 2020, there were 2662 applications for the integration and language courses, with 346 graduating from Stage 1 and 79 from Stage 2. [7] Applicants from at least 52 different countries completed the courses. [8]

Additionally, an awareness-raising campaign with cultural mediators for the “I Belong” programme was planned. However, a full evaluation of the impact is yet to be published and there is no evidence available that shows if officials whose duties focus on immigration were involved in the programme. According to the “I Belong” programme, the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality (MEAE)’s Integration Unit was tasked to develop quarterly reports on implementation progress and generate annual progress reports to be presented at subsequent Annual Integration Conferences. [9] Following the dissolution of MEAE in 2020, it is unclear if these quarterly or annual reports were published. Moreover, the CSOs consulted by the IRM stated they were not aware of any advancement on the implementation of this commitment but that the government had launched an advertising campaign called “Malti Bhalek” (“Maltese like you”) aimed at changing perceptions of race and nationality. [10] There is no evidence to suggest improvements to the OGP value of citizen participation through this commitment.