Month: December 2018

The Residence of the Ambassador of Monaco in Italy hosted, Tuesday, December 11, 2018, a Conference of Thomas Fouilleron, Director of Archives and Library of the Prince’s Palace, dedicated to the Grimaldi Dynasty.

Through this presentation, Mr. Fouilleron notably put emphasis on changing the status of the Royal Family and its action between the XIIIth and XXIth century, and its role in Monaco’s assertion as a sovereign state on the international scene.

In particular, the Speaker relied on documents and works recently presented to the Chinese public during an exhibition at the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was a great success with more than 500,000 visitors.

This great fresco of the history of the Principality for seven centuries has been much appreciated by the Italian public.

The evening ended with a cocktail reception hosted by HE Mr. Robert Fillon, Monaco’s Ambassador to Italy, and his wife.

On Monday, December 10, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon organized the official delivery of computer equipment for the Department in charge of Primary Health Centers and its 185 health centers located throughout the country. This action aims to contribute to the improvement of universal health coverage.

The Consul of Monaco in Lebanon, Mr. Bechara El Khoury, represented the Principality at this event. He expressed the satisfaction of the Government of Monaco to support the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health through this project, and emphasized that Public Health is the first sector of intervention of the Monegasque Cooperation in Lebanon, with particular attention given maternal and child health in vulnerable areas.

Present at the presentation, Dr Raghed Assi, Director of the Social Development and Local Development Program of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP Lebanon), said: “This contribution is appreciated by both UNDP and the beneficiaries. The primary health care centers are in the front line to deal with the consequences of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon We thank the Principality of Monaco for all its support and we hope to collaborate again in 2019 “.

This action closes a project initiated in 2014 by UNDP Lebanon with the support of the Directorate of International Cooperation, entitled “Implementation of integrated plans and services for well-being and health”.

The 3rd Meeting of the Signatories (MOS3 Sharks) of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, was closed today by Robert Calcagno, Director General of the Institute oceanographic, Albert I Foundation er , Prince of Monaco and President of the meeting, in the presence of Isabelle ROSABRUNETTO, Director General of Department of External Relations and Cooperation.

In his address, Mr. Calcagno welcomed the success of the meeting by highlighting “the constructive spirit in which the work has taken place and the commitment of all for the sharks, these former masters of the oceans today in unfortunate If this Memorandum of Understanding is legally non-binding, it is nonetheless very relevant and active. ”

He also welcomed the compromise between the United States, the European Union and Monaco so that, following the proposal of the Principality, the sea angel (Squatina squatina) be added to the list of protected species.

Seven other species have been added to the list of Memoranda of Understanding, which means that they should benefit from increased international cooperation to improve their conservation.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks is under the umbrella of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

HE Ms. Carole Lanteri, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Principality to the United Nations Office in Geneva, paid a courtesy call on Michelle Bachelet, the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On this occasion, the Ambassador and the High Commissioner spoke about the Principality’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, especially for the most vulnerable (children, women, disabled people).

HE Mrs. Carole Lanteri also recalled the cooperation initiated for many years between the Prince’s Government and the Office of the High Commissioner, which is reflected in particular by the payment of voluntary contributions that reached, in 2018, an overall amount of €60,000.

Michelle Bachelet welcomed some recent developments in the Principality in the field of human rights, including the creation in 2013 of the Office of the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Freedoms and Mediation and, more recently, the implementation of in place of the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights.

She also congratulated Monaco for his commitment during his 3rd Universal Periodic Review, held November 12, 2018.

The Ambassador and the High Commissioner finally exchanged on the various UN mechanisms for evaluating national human rights policies, which may have a positive impact on the evolution of practices and normative development in the countries examined.

As a reminder, the High Commissioner for Human Rights is appointed by the UN Secretary-General. He heads the Office of the High Commissioner, whose mandate entrusted to him by the General Assembly is to promote and protect all human rights.

To this end, it supports the implementation of international human rights standards in the field, assists governments in fulfilling their obligations and encourages individuals to assert their rights. Moreover, it is objectively speaking about human rights violations around the world.

On Wednesday, December 5, Barbados became the 141st state to establish diplomatic relations with the Principality of Monaco.

The Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, HE Elizabeth Thompson and HE Isabelle Picco, signed joint communiqués committing the two States to further develop their bonds of friendship and cooperation.

Barbados, a small island developing state in the Caribbean, has been a member of the United Nations since 1966.

Both of them are very involved in ocean issues and the law of the sea in particular, and the Permanent Missions of both countries often advocate similar positions within the United Nations, raising the voice of small states to common concerns about future of the Planet.

Monacair, the Monaco-based helicopter company, is this year celebrating three decades of providing VIP helicopter transport.

The company, founded in 1988, offers transfer services between Monaco heliport and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport in France, as well as helicopter tours of the French Riviera and private flight charters to all destinations in a radius of 500km around Monaco.

The transfer service has turned Monacair into an ambassador for the Principality. Damien Mazaudier, CEO of Monacair, comments: “As the sole operator of the helicopter transfer between the Principality and Nice Airport, Monacair is the first and last thing visitors experience in Monaco. This puts upon our shoulders the responsibility to deliver a unique and unforgettable service at an affordable price.

“For that, we invested in a modern fleet of helicopters and engaged partnerships with airlines to become the only helicopter company in the world providing scheduled transfers that include airline check-in services.”

The ambition: turn a transfer service into a helicopter airline

Flights to and from Nice Airport, which is located 18 kilometers from Monaco, take just seven minutes. Monacair’s partnerships with airlines are key to the helicopter company’s success with this route. Working with airlines allow customers to leave Monaco only one hour before their flight at the airport. Indeed, passengers can obtain their boarding pass to final destination in Monaco, have their luggage checked-in to the final destination, and enjoy a direct transfer to the boarding gate. A stress-free and time-saving transfer!

The speed and convenience of this flight has led Monacair to operate up to 48 transfers per day, with a helicopter departing every 15 minutes between 8.30am and 8pm.This enables residents and visitors to benefit from what can be considered as Monaco’s own airline service. Passengers arriving at Monaco heliport are chauffeur-driven to their final destination and enjoy the same service when they leave.

The many prestigious events hosted in Monaco, such as the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, the Monaco Yacht Show, Top Marques and the Monaco Grand Prix, generate a considerable amount of work for Monacair, as the company allows attendees to enjoy the events longer than any other mean of transfer. In a single day during the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix, the company’s six passenger capacity H130 helicopter transferred 1,200 passengers between Nice Airport and Monaco.

Monacair intends to build on this success by nurturing partnerships with more airlines.
It currently counts Air France, British Airways, KLM, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Air Corsica among its main airline partners.

The CEO explains: “Our airlines partners are extremely satisfied with Monacair’s transfer service. It allows them to add a new country to their service offer while providing an unforgettable pre- and post-flight VIP experience.

“Other airlines are starting to understand what it implies in terms of customer loyalty, which is why we are rapidly expanding partnerships within this industry.”

The Monaco helicopter company operates a fleet of 33 helicopters, composed of 11 different types. The open-design cabin of its Airbus H130 offers passengers a 180° panoramic view, which makes it the perfect helicopter for scenic tours over Monaco and the French Riviera, as well as for airport transfers.

Its enlarged hold allows space for six pieces of luggage, in addition to the luggage passengers can take into the cabin. The Leonardo AW109 has a maximum speed of 311 kilometres per hour and a luxurious interior, making it ideal for private flights.

Monacair is based at Monaco heliport in Fontvieille, the Principality’s business district.