On 11 December 2019, the Government of Malta acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons following the deposit of the instruments of accession at the United Nations’ premises in New York City.

The 1954 convention, which now has 94 parties, establishes minimum standards of treatment for stateless persons and is designed to ensure that they are not left in legal limbo due to statelessness.

By acceding to the 1954 UN Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, Malta has joined the international community of good practice in its efforts to ensure that the rights of stateless persons are respected. This is a milestone in Malta’s broader agenda to demonstrate international best practices and to ensure the enjoyment of rights of all persons living in Malta. 

On the occasion of Malta’s accession to the convention, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela said that “despite the very limited size of the stateless population in Malta, it is important to recognise that each stateless person faces particular hardships that should not be disregarded”.

In acceding to the 1954 UN Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, Malta undertakes to perform and carry out the entire contents of the convention, with the exception of Article 11 regarding stateless seamen, Article 14 regarding artistic rights and industrial property and Article 32 regarding naturalisation, which it is reserving its position on.