We are honored to share the news of the French-American Cultural Foundation’s former board chair and longtime trusted advisor Constance Milstein’s appointment as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Malta.
With Sicily to the north and the Maghreb to the south, Malta has historic strategic importance as a naval base. Its past rulers include the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights Hospitaller, French, and British. The island once lay on the frontier of the Christian alliances, beyond which stretched the Islamic Ottoman Empire. When the Ottomans failed to capture the island in 1565, they gave the Europeans a much needed sense of security, for all of a sudden the Empire did not seem invincible. The impact of this victory was far reaching for European history – as Voltaire said, “Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta.”
Sieges aside, Malta is still known as a vital European Union country at the crossroads of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It lies alongside principal shipping routes that must be secured amid the threat of corruption, regional instability, and transnational crime. As an island nation, Malta aspires to lead in sustainable development, which creates opportunities for the US to support and engage in local infrastructure and clean energy partnerships.
Ambassador Milstein is perfectly poised to represent the United States as we deepen our relationship with Malta. An attorney and entrepreneur dedicated to the welfare of veterans, Ambassador Milstein is a humanitarian with a proven international track record. She typifies the ideals required of a public servant, and we are delighted that she has been afforded this opportunity – one which we both agree is among the greatest honors bestowed on any American.