The president of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace H.E Ahmed bin Mohammed AlJarwan expressed his deepest condolences to the Prime Minister of Malta Mr. Joseph Muscat and to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Mr. Carmelo Abela and the family of Ambassador Alfred Zarb, who passed away at the age of 80.
Ambassador Zarb joined the civil service in 1960. In 1964, following Malta’s acquisition of independence, Ambassador Zarb was posted to New York to serve in Malta’s newly established Permanent Mission to the United Nations as part of Dr Arvid Pardo’s team. In the United States he assisted in the setting up of the Washington embassy, before returning to Malta in 1968. He was then posted to the new Permanent Delegation in Geneva between 1970 and 1975, and again as Chargé d’Affaires in 1977.
He served as Malta’s ambassador to Algeria and Morocco between 1981 and 1999, to Tunisia between 1981 and 1995, and was the country’s representative to the League of Arab States in Tunis between 1981 and 1986.
At the time of his death, he was serving as non-resident ambassador to Slovenia and Croatia, and as advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela.
Letter of condolence
Mr. AlJarwan sent to Mr. Muscat this letter:
Dear Dr. Joseph Muscat,
Prime Minister of Malta
We received with great sorrow the news of the death of Ambassador Alfred Zarb, the man of great diplomatic achievements, who gave his life tohis country and had a great reputation in the service of humanity and the promotion of the values of democracy, human rights and justice.
We will always remember his achievements and great support to the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, from the beginning of its establishment until its launch in Valletta.
With the departure of Ambassador Zarb, Malta lost a sublime man of its great men, and the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace lost a supporter, a loyal friend and a peace-loving man.
On this painful occasion, please accept our deepest condolences to you and his family and we ask God to give you the comfort and peace that you seek and may his soul rest in peace.