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Month: March 2026

How to attend Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Monaco

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
13/03/2026

Residents and nationals of Monaco will have the unique opportunity to take part in the historic apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV’s on 28th March. 

The day will include official ceremonies, meetings with young people and a large public Mass at Stade Louis II.

Access to the Place du Palais

The morning programme will begin with an official welcome ceremony at the Prince’s Palace between 9am and 9:40am. During this time, Pope Leo XIV will meet Prince Albert II and greet the public from the Palace balcony before passing through Monaco in the Popemobile.

Attendance at Place du Palais will be restricted to Monegasque nationals and residents of the Principality, with security controls set in place to check identification and access bracelets.

These access bracelets will be distributed at Espace LĂ©o FerrĂ© from 16th to 20th March between 8:30am and 7pm. The distribution will take place in two stages – from 16th to 17th March for Monegasque nationals and their spouses, and on 18th March all residents of Monaco can collect one.

Access to the square will be open at 7am on the day of the visit, with the last entry at 8:30am.

Attending the Papal Mass at Stade Louis II

In the afternoon, a pontifical mass is set to take place at Stade Louis II at 3pm. The public will be able to attend the stadium from 12:30pm, and attendees are encouraged to arrive no later than 2pm.

Seating will be available on the pitch in non-numbered sections, reserved for Monegasque nationals and residents, subject to availability.

Tickets for the Mass can be collected at the same time and place as the access bracelets at Espace Léo Ferré. However, attendees will be required to write their name and surname on the ticket when collecting it, meaning the ticket cannot be transferred to another person.

Important information

Only one bracelet will be issued per identity document or resident card presented, although one person may collect several bracelets if they bring the identification documents of the other participants.

Children under three-years-old do not need a bracelet, while bracelets for older children without identification will be issued upon presentation of a family record book.

Residents and visitors are also invited to line the streets during the Pope’s Popemobile procession, with the route to be announced shortly.

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Main photo credit: Vatican MĂ©dia

Barclays Private Bank Monaco confirms Olivier Franceschelli as CEO

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/03/2026

Barclays Private Bank International has appointed Olivier Franceschelli as Chief Executive Officer of its Monaco operation, confirming a role he has held on an interim basis since September 2025.

Olivier Franceschelli joined Barclays in May 2020 and has been credited with strengthening the bank’s client proposition and culture in Monaco during his time as interim CEO. According to a statement released on Thursday 12th March, in the permanent role, he will focus on developing client relationships and supporting the long-term growth of the Monaco franchise.

Annabelle Bryde, Head of Barclays Private Bank International, said the appointment reflected his performance. “Since stepping into the role on an interim basis, he has demonstrated strong leadership and a clear commitment to our clients in one of our most established markets,” she said. “With his strong grasp of our business and clear focus on clients, Olivier is well positioned to lead the Monaco franchise and continue strengthening our presence in the Principality.”

Barclays has been present in Monaco since 1922, offering private banking services including investment, banking and lending solutions to clients in Monaco.

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Photo source: Barclays

 

Monaco’s overseas investments drive growth at home and abroad

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/03/2026

The Principality’s strategy of investing in infrastructure beyond its borders took centre stage at a Club Eco Monaco conference held on 5th March at MonacoTech, where representatives from government, transport, energy and telecoms outlined how Monaco’s international stakes generate returns for the Principality and its surrounding region alike.

Moderated by Baptiste Bize, Editor-in-Chief of the Nice-Matin Group, the round table was organised by the Monaco Economic Board and the Nice-Matin Group. Laetitia Faix, Director of the Budget and Treasury Department, opened proceedings by mapping out the tools available to the state: the budget, the Constitutional Reserve Fund, shareholdings in MonĂ©gasque companies and stakes in foreign enterprises. Among the latter, she cited the Principality’s shareholding in AĂ©roports de la CĂ´te d’Azur and its investment in French start-up Flying Whales, which is developing a low-carbon airship capable of carrying 60 tonnes of freight.

Faix also pointed to investments that directly benefit neighbouring communities, including residential buildings financed by Monaco in nearby municipalities to house state employees, and a 180 million euro contribution alongside the Provence-Alpes-CĂ´te d’Azur Region to acquire six new TER trainsets and improve rail services for cross-border workers.

Airport as economic engine

Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Management Board of AĂ©roports de la CĂ´te d’Azur, described the airport as a shared asset serving the wider region, and one where Monaco’s presence as a shareholder carries real weight. The Principality exerts particular influence over connectivity, service quality and environmental commitments — Nice Airport is currently the most advanced in France in terms of decarbonisation. The relationship is mutually reinforcing: an impact study estimates that the airport generates 400 million euros in GDP for Monaco.

Expanding Monaco’s maritime reach

Aleco Keusseoglou, Deputy Chairman of the SociĂ©tĂ© d’Exploitation des Ports de Monaco, described the 2016 acquisition of an 80-year concession over the Cala del Forte marina in Ventimiglia as a rare opportunity to address a longstanding capacity shortage, particularly for vessels over 35 metres. Demand for berths remains strong — he noted that at least one in four ultra-high-net-worth individuals worldwide owns a yacht. A potential next step could be Cap d’Ail harbour, whose concession expires in 2027.

Energy sovereignty and the green transition

SMEG Managing Director Thomas Battaglione outlined how the energy concessionaire is extending its activities well beyond Monaco’s borders. Its subsidiary EVZen operates electric vehicle charging stations across France, while a joint venture with the Prince’s Government — Monaco Energies Renouvelables — has already invested 100 million euros in photovoltaic plants and wind farms in France. The goal is to guarantee full decarbonisation of energy consumed in the Principality while maintaining price sovereignty during periods of crisis.

Telecoms expansion across the Mediterranean

Monaco Telecom, jointly owned by the state and Xavier Niel’s NJJ Holding, has moved decisively into international markets, becoming the sole shareholder of Epic, the leading alternative operator in Cyprus and the leading mobile operator in Malta. CEO Martin PĂ©ronnet said the acquisitions allowed Monaco Telecom to export the operational model developed at home, improving the efficiency and market share of both companies. International activities now account for the majority of the group’s revenues, funding high-quality services in Monaco and enabling the company to attract talent it would otherwise struggle to recruit.

Guillaume Rose, CEO of the Monaco Economic Board, closed the session by proposing that the theme be revisited regularly, with tourism added to the agenda as a sector likely to generate fresh strategic questions as these various projects develop.

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Photo source: MEB

 

Prince Albert II and the Commonwealth are joining forces to save the world’s oceans

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/03/2026

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Commonwealth Secretariat have announced a partnership to accelerate ocean conservation across Commonwealth nations in Asia and the Pacific, with the initiative unveiled on the sidelines of Commonwealth Day in London.

The collaboration will be delivered through the Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator, which provides grants of up to £50,000 to help Commonwealth countries develop early-stage ocean conservation projects. The Foundation will direct its support specifically towards projects in Asia and the Pacific — regions the Commonwealth Secretary-General described as already deeply affected by sea-level rise.

The partnership advances the goals of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, unanimously adopted at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in 2024, which called for the restoration, protection and sustainable use of the world’s oceans. One third of the world’s ocean under national jurisdiction lies within Commonwealth waters.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey said the partnership showed what could be achieved through collective action. “The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will help us strengthen our support to member countries while also deepening our collective investment in ocean conservation,” she said. “The need to restore, preserve and protect marine and coastal environments has never been greater.”

Romain Ciarlet, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, said the Incubator represented the kind of collaborative approach the ocean crisis demands. “By fostering collaboration and innovation among governments, partners and conservation leaders, this incubator plays a key role in advancing solutions that protect and restore marine ecosystems while ensuring a viable future for all,” he said.

How the Incubator works

Grants are directed across five priority areas: reducing marine pollution, ecosystem restoration, the blue economy, sustainable fisheries, and the ocean-climate nexus. A central aim of the initiative is to leverage investment beyond the grants themselves, while placing indigenous peoples, local communities, youth and gender-marginalised groups at the centre of ocean governance. Projects are designed to build partnerships between local communities, civil society organisations and Commonwealth governments.

The next call for Incubator grants will open in the coming quarter.

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Photo of Prince Albert II with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey. Source: Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

VistaJet owner orders 40 Bombardier jets in major fleet expansion

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/03/2026

Vista, the Dubai-headquartered private aviation group that operates VistaJet, has agreed to purchase 40 Bombardier Challenger 3500 aircraft, with options for a further 120, in one of the largest fleet deals the private aviation sector has seen in recent years.

Deliveries begin in 2026 and will be phased over up to 10 years. The agreement consolidates Vista’s super-midsize aircraft operations onto a single platform, standardising the onboard experience for clients regardless of where they fly.

A year of strong growth

The deal follows what the company describes as another year of double-digit growth. Its subscription-based Programme membership grew by 12% in 2025, with flight hours up 16% year-on-year. Growth was recorded across all regions, with the Middle East up 32%, Africa up 30% and Asia up 22% — outpacing the group’s more established markets in the US and Europe, which grew 11% and 15% respectively.

Thomas Flohr, Founder and Chairman of Vista, said the order reflected long-term planning rather than a response to short-term demand. “We are continuing to build the fleet our Members will rely on over the next decade — not reacting to short-term cycles, but investing with clarity, scale and discipline,” he said.

The Challenger 3500 has been a central aircraft in Vista’s fleet strategy, chosen in part for its cabin technology, which includes voice-controlled systems, redesigned interiors and Nuage zero-gravity seating.

Vista operates across 96% of the world’s countries through its VistaJet and XO brands, and employs more than 4,000 people globally.

See also: 

Exclusive interview: Thomas Flohr, the man who made flying private look effortless

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Main photo source: VistaJet

 

Monaco crèche workers to strike on Friday over holiday entitlement dispute

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/03/2026

Childcare workers at Monaco’s municipal crèches are set to strike on Friday 13th March, following a dispute over a request for additional leave, with the Mairie warning that some facilities may be forced to close depending on the number of staff who take part.

The strike was announced by the Syndicat des Agents de l’État et de la Commune (SAEC) in a letter to Mayor Georges Marsan on the evening of Tuesday 10th March. The action stems from a request made by childcare auxiliaries at the end of 2025 for five additional days of annual leave in recognition of the physically and emotionally demanding nature of their work.

The Commune’s response

Mayor Marsan met union representatives and childcare workers on Wednesday, accompanied by deputy mayor Chloé Boscagli, delegate for early childhood and family services, along with senior municipal officials. The Mairie de Monaco later issued a statement, saying that Mayor Marsan expressed frustration that the strike had been called without first requesting a meeting with the relevant department or with himself directly.

The Mayor said working hours and leave entitlements for municipal staff are set by law and determined by the Prince’s Government according to employment category. Childcare auxiliaries currently work 37.5 hours per week and receive 27 days of annual leave — terms he said are in line with the statute governing municipal employees, last amended on 16th November 2022.

Improvements already made

The Mairie used the statement to set out a series of measures it says have been taken in recent years to improve working conditions for childcare staff. These include strengthening staffing levels across crèches, maintaining a pool of nine substitute workers to cover daily absences, recruiting additional staff to care for children with individual care protocols, and introducing an annual training programme.

The municipality also pointed to investment in facilities, including new crèche buildings at Testimonio, Honoria and the Jardin d’Ă©veil, as well as renovation work at older sites including the crèches in Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo and Roseraie. A change to intake policy — limiting new child admissions to three periods a year in September, January and April — was also cited as a measure designed to reduce pressure on staff.

Families to be contacted

Mayor Marsan and members of the municipality council said they were surprised by the decision to strike without prior consultation, and called on workers to honour their professional commitments, noting that the welfare of young children remains a priority for the Commune.

Families with children enrolled at municipal crèches will be contacted directly by crèche management ahead of Friday. The early childhood services department says it is doing everything possible to keep facilities open on the day.

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Photo: Creche Honoria, source Mairie de Monaco