Malta ngħaqdet mal-Ġermanja, Franza, l-Italja, ir-Renju Unit, il-Lussemburgu, l-Iżvizzera u 30 pajjiż ieħor minn madwar id-dinja kollha bħala membru fundatur prospettiv tal-Bank Ażjatiku tal-Investiment fl-Infrastruttura (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – AIIB). Nhar il-Ħamis, 9 ta’ April 2015, il-Ministeru tal-Finanzi taċ-Ċina ħabbar li l-applikazzjoni ta’ Malta biex issir Stat membru mhux reġjonali fundatur kienet ġiet aċċettata.
STQARRIJA GĦALL-ISTAMPA MILL-MINISTERU TAL-FINANZI
Huwa mistenni li dan il-bank multilaterali tal-iżvilupp, li l-azzjonist prinċipali tiegħu se jkun iċ-Ċina, jiġi stabbilit sa tmiem din is-sena b’kapital inizjali ta’ $50 biljun. Is-sħubija fih, li tippermetti sa 25% parteċipazzjoni azzjonarja minn barra l-Ażja, se tagħlaq fil-15 ta’ April.
Il-membri fundaturi tal-AIIB se jkollhom il-jedd li jistabbilixxu r-regoli tal-bank, li se jipprovdi aċċess għall-finanzjament għal proġetti infrastrutturali fil-pajjiżi Ażjatiċi li qegħdin jiżviluppaw f’oqsma bħat-trasport, l-enerġija, il-biedja, it-telekomunikazzjonijiet, u l-iżvilupp urban. Dan se jsir permezz ta’ diversi miżuri ta’ sostenn bħal selfiet, investimenti azzjonarji, u garanziji. Din l-assistenza se tkun tista’ tikkumplimenta s-sostenn li diġà jingħata fir-reġjun minn banek multilaterali tal-iżvilupp bħall-Bank Dinji u l-Bank Ażjatiku tal-Iżvilupp.
Fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin, Malta se tingħaqad mal-membri fundaturi prospettivi l-oħrajn biex tiddiskuti u tapprova l-Artikoli ta’ Ftehim, li se jiffissaw ir-regoli tal-governanza u tal-obbligu ta’ rendikont li se jirregolaw il-mod kif se jkun qed jaħdem il-bank.
Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi, Edward Scicluna, qal: “Din is-sħubija tirrifletti l-ħidma tal-gvern Malti biex jibni rabtiet eqreb mas-suq Ażjatiku bħala parti mill-pjan tiegħu għal tkabbir ekonomiku.
Is-sħubija ta’ Malta fl-AIIB se tkompli ssaħħaħ il-ħbiberija u l-kooperazzjoni ta’ Malta ma’ pajjiżi Ażjatiċi, u partikolarment maċ-Ċina, li qed tmexxi ‘il quddiem din l-inizjattiva globali. Bl-involviment attiv tagħha, Malta tistenna li timmassimizza l-irwol tagħha bħala ċentru għas-servizzi finanzjarji, u bħala katalist għal inizjattivi ta’ investiment li jkomplu jqarrbu lill-Ażja u lill-Ewropa lejn xulxin. Din inqisuha bħala opportunità oħra biex inservu ta’ pajjiż li jibni l-pontijiet bejn iż-żewġ kontinenti.
Kif jirriżulta minn stħarriġ tal-Fond Monetarju Internazzjonali, spinta lill-investiment effiċjenti fl-infrastruttura tista’ tagħti daqqa t’id qawwija lit-tkabbir ekonomiku fuq medda ta’ żmien kemm qasira kif ukoll fit-tul.”
Malta joins major countries in becoming founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Malta has joined Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland and 30 other countries worldwide as a prospective founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). On Thursday 9 April 2015, China’s Ministry of Finance announced that Malta’s application to become a non-regional founding member State had been accepted.
PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR FINANCE
The multilateral development bank, of which China will be the principal shareholder, is expected to be set up by the end of this year with an initial capital of $50 billion. Its membership, which allows for a maximum 25% non-Asian shareholding, will be finalised on 15 April.
AIIB founding members will have the right to set out the rules for the bank, which will provide access to finance for infrastructural projects in Asian developing countries in areas such as transportation, energy, agriculture, telecommunications, and urban development. This will be done through a variety of support measures such as loans, equity investments, and guarantees. This assistance can complement the support already given in the region by existing multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
In the coming weeks, Malta will join the other prospective founding members to discuss and approve the AIIB’s Articles of Agreement, which will lay down the governance and accountability rules on which the bank’s operations will be based.
Finance Minister, Edward Scicluna, said: “This partnership is a reflection of the Maltese government’s endeavours to forge closer ties with the Asian market as part of its economic growth roadmap.
Malta’s AIIB membership will further cement Malta’s friendship and cooperation with Asian countries, and particularly with China, which is spearheading this global initiative. By getting actively involved, Malta expects to maximise its role as a financial services centre, and as a catalyst of investment initiatives that bring Asia and Europe closer together. We consider this as yet another opportunity to serve as bridge-builders between the two continents.
As International Monetary Fund research has shown, boosting efficient infrastructure investment can be a powerful impetus to economic growth, both in the short and in the long run.”
10th April 2015
