George William Vella

George William Vella
MP
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
13 March 2013
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat
Preceded by Francis Zammit Dimech
In office
28 October 1996 – 6 September 1998
Prime Minister Alfred Sant
Preceded by Guido de Marco
Succeeded by Guido de Marco
Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
In office
28 October 1996 – 6 September 1998
Prime Minister Alfred Sant
Preceded by Guido de Marco
Succeeded by Guido de Marco
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office
26 March 1992 – 23 May 2003
Leader Alfred Sant
Preceded by Joseph Brincat
Succeeded by Charles Mangion
Personal details
Born (1942-04-24) 24 April 1942
Żejtun, Malta
Political party Labour Party (1978–present)
Spouse(s) Miriam Grima
Children 3
Alma mater University of Malta
Religion Roman Catholicism

George William Vella (born 24 April 1942) is Maltese politician and a graduate in medicine. Vella has been serving as Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, since 2013.[1]

Vella has held the same post of Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 1998, under Prime Minister Alfred Sant.[2][3][4] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is found at Palazzo Parisio in Valletta, Malta.

Early life and family

Vella was born in Żejtun in 1942. He is married to Miriam (née Grima). Vella fathered three children; two daughters and a son. He has seven grandchildren.[5][6]

Education

Vella is a graduated in medicine at the University of Malta in 1964. In 1977, he was awarded a Certificate in General Aviation Medicine (Famborough, UK). Dr Vella started his parliamentary career within the Labour Party (Malta) in 1978. He was subsequently elected Member of Parliament at the general elections held in 1981, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013, when he was re-appointed as Malta’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.[7]

Career

Labour Party

Vella joined the Labour Party (PL) and started his parliamentary career in 1978. He was subsequently elected member of parliament at the general elections held in 1981, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013 . As a Member of Parliament, he represents the 3rd District.[8][9]

Serving abroad

In 1978, Vella was a substitute member of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe and rapporteur on maritime pollution from maritime sources at the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE). In 1987, he served as Malta's permanent representative at the Council of Europe between January and May.[10]

Deputy leader

In 1992, Vella was elected as the Labour Party deputy leader for parliamentary affairs and spokesperson on foreign affairs. He served as vice chairman on the Joint EU/Malta Parliamentary Committee.[11][12]

Foreign Affairs

The office of Vella while serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In 1995 and 1996, Vella was a member of the House Business Committee and the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee. During his political career, he led many delegations abroad and attended numerous conferences and seminars; he delivered speeches, mostly on foreign affairs and the environment, in Strasbourg, Aachen, London, Brussels, Paris, Moscow, Cairo, Damascus, and Tripoli.[13]

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Vella's official ministerial office was once the bedroom of Napoleon at Palazzo Parisio.

He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Environment back in October 1996[14] and again in 2013.[15]

References

  1. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  2. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.parlament.mt/vella-george
  4. ↑ http://www.malta.galileokl.net/minister-of-foreign-affairs/
  5. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  6. ↑ http://www.malta.galileokl.net/minister-of-foreign-affairs/
  7. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  8. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  9. ↑ http://www.malta.galileokl.net/minister-of-foreign-affairs/
  10. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  11. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  12. ↑ http://www.malta.galileokl.net/minister-of-foreign-affairs/
  13. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
  14. ↑ http://www.malta.galileokl.net/minister-of-foreign-affairs/
  15. ↑ http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/The%20Minister.aspx
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George William Vella.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Joseph Brincat		 Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
1992–2003 		Succeeded by
Charles Mangion
Political offices
Preceded by
Guido de Marco		 Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
Guido de Marco
Preceded by
Guido de Marco		 Minister of Foreign Affairs
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
Guido de Marco
Preceded by
???		 Minister for the Environment
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
Francis Zammit Dimech
Preceded by
Francis Zammit Dimech		 Minister of Foreign Affairs
2013–present 		Incumbent
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