The Association Monégasque pour la Protection de la Nature (AMPN) gathered at Le Méridien Beach Plaza hotel on Thursday 8th October to present scientific evidence demonstrating that Monaco’s protected marine reserves are delivering major ecological recoveries.
Marking 50 years of conservation since Prince Rainier III established the Principality’s coastal protection efforts, the conference unveiled long-term monitoring data showing a dramatic rise in fish populations across the Larvotto and Spélugues marine reserves.
Founded in 1975, the AMPN manages 35 hectares of protected littoral zone under strict enforcement where fishing and anchoring are banned. The 33-hectare Larvotto reserve, created in 1976, holds the distinction of being the first urban marine protected area in the world.
Fish biomass and nursery growth
According to a study published in the ICES Journal of Marine Scienceand presented by marine ecologist Dr Alexis Pey, Larvotto exhibits a striking ‘reserve effect’, boasting 2.5 times higher fish biomass than neighbouring unprotected waters. This strict level of protection has fostered continuous population growth for key species, including the brown meagre and dusky grouper.
Complementing adult fish tracking, Dr Eugenio Di Franco detailed nursery monitoring that recorded roughly 24,000 juvenile fish across 15 species in 2025, dominated by damselfish, saddled seabream, salema, and grey mullet.
The initiative seeks to identify essential nursery habitats to adapt management practices and improve juvenile survival rates.
Photo credit: AMPN
Seagrass health and world-first 3D reefs
The conference also addressed the long-term monitoring of Larvotto’s Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadow. Presented by Dr Heike Molenaar as the longest continuous tracking study of this habitat in the Mediterranean, recent assessments rated the meadow’s density as good, showing a stable to expanding trajectory since 2016.
Innovation remains central to the AMPN’s work. In 2017, in collaboration with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the organisation deployed 3D-printed artificial reefs made from natural dolomite sand—a world first in scale. The AMPN now oversees more than 40 artificial reefs, including six 3D-printed units, which today host over 40 fish species and roughly 100 encrusting organisms.
Under the direction of Jacqueline Gautier-Debernardi, the AMPN continues to combine strict enforcement with scientific research and educational outreach, including the management of an Educational Marine Area designed to engage local schoolchildren in marine conservation.
Monaco will host HERS Monaco, a new summit dedicated to female tech founders, on Friday 23rd October, as organisers set out to tackle one of the most stubborn imbalances in start-up finance: in Europe last year, all-female founding teams received just 1.2% of venture capital funding.
The one-day event, billed as the Female Tech Founders Summit, grew out of the K2MATCH Investor Lounge, the Monaco pitching event founded by Badr Moudden and Alexandros Dohn that brings selected start-ups face to face with investors, family offices and venture capital firms. For its tenth edition, K2MATCH chose to dedicate its programme to women.
From inspiration to investment
The organisers are clear that the problem is not a lack of role models. “The challenge is no longer inspiration. It is access to capital, to networks, to markets, to decision-making circles,” they say.
The figures support the point. According to PitchBook data published in December, the share of European venture funding going to all-female teams fell in 2025 to its lowest level in nearly a decade. HERS Monaco puts the global figure at around 2%, or one to two dollars in every hundred.
What began as a satellite event to the Investor Lounge has since become a joint venture between Karen Aliprendi of KA Partner, Chika Yamamoto of Crossbie and the K2MATCH team of Badr Moudden, Freya Choi and Alexandros Dohn.
Panels, pitches and a gala
The day opens with two panel discussions on capital. The first, ‘The Billion Spot’, asks why Europe’s female tech founders remain under-capitalised, while the second, ‘Closing the Funding Gap’, looks at the internal and external obstacles founders face.
Speakers include Georgia Pont Garcia of Alkimia Capital, a private capital firm active in Monaco and Andorra; Florence Bavanandan, COO of Launch Africa Ventures and General Partner of the Botswana Tech Fund; angel investor Katrina Victoria Gumaya, founder and chairman of KVG Ventures; Pascale Caron, founder and CEO of Yunova Consulting and co-author of ‘EntrepreneurIA’; early-stage investor Ksenia Edsall, a former manager at Deloitte UK; and Maissa Ballout Shamshoum, CEO of Hasoub and an investor with the Falcon Innovation Fund.
In the afternoon, a shortlist of female-led start-ups will each have five minutes to pitch, followed by questions from a live jury. The day closes with a gala dinner, where the top three will receive the Female Founders Award.
Three days of connections
HERS Monaco completes a week of events. A pre-networking evening on 21st October will be followed on 22nd October by the K2MATCH Investor Lounge, where curated pitching and matchmaking aim to turn introductions into investment.
The organisers have longer-term ambitions. They plan to build HERS Monaco into a year-round community, the HERS Monaco Circle, and in the medium term to launch HERS Monaco Capital, an investment initiative so that connections made in Monaco translate into funding for female-led companies.
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Photo source: K2Match
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene send prayers to Pope amid lung cancer surgery
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco sent a message of support and prayers to Pope Leo XIV on Monday 12th October, ahead of the pontiff’s surgery in Rome for early-stage lung cancer.
The Vatican confirmed in a medical bulletin on Wednesday morning that the 71-year-old pontiff underwent a 90-minute operation on Tuesday 13th October at Gemelli Hospital to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors diagnosed the growth as pulmonary adenocarcinoma, saying that the nodule was caught at a very early stage during routine checks and that the procedure went without complications.
The operation followed Pope Leo XIV’s surprise announcement during his weekly Angelus address on Sunday 11th October, in which he informed the faithful of the necessary medical intervention.
Prince Albert II and Pope Leo XIV. Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco
Direct words of devotion from Monaco
In their official correspondence dispatched to the Vatican on Monday, Prince Albert II expressed the deep emotion and solidarity felt across the Principality upon learning of the Holy Father’s upcoming operation.
“Deeply moved by the news Your Holiness shared following the Angelus on 11th October, yet reassured by Your decision to undergo the necessary surgery without delay, Princess Charlene and I, together with our family and the entire Principality, wish to express our wholehearted support and assure You of our fervent prayers,” the Sovereign Prince wrote.
Reaffirming Monaco’s close constitutional and spiritual ties with the Roman Catholic Church, Prince Albert II highlighted the global importance of the Pope’s leadership.
“As we reaffirm our closeness to You in this difficult time, we pray that the operation will be successful and that Your recovery will be swift and complete, enabling You to resume Your Ministry with renewed strength, at a time when the world needs Your guidance more than ever,” the Prince added, closing with “the assurance of our most faithful and respectful devotion.”
Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco
Deepening spiritual ties
The personal tone of the Princely Family’s message follows recent high-level meetings between the House of Grimaldi and the Pontiff.
On Monday 28th September, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met Pope Leo XIV in Metz during his pastoral visit to France. Joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron at the Robert Schuman Convention Centre, the audience marked a warm reunion six months after the Pope’s landmark apostolic visit to Monaco on 28th March.
According to Vatican reports on Wednesday morning, the Pope spent a “peaceful night” recovering in hospital, where he is expected to remain for about a week. His schedule has been cleared until Tuesday 20th October as he recuperates ahead of a planned pastoral tour of Latin America in November.
Formula 1 has confirmed its return to Africa for the first time in over 30 years, announcing a 10-year agreement to host a Grand Prix in Rwanda beginning in the early 2030s.
The announcement, made on Tuesday 13th October, marks a significant development in Formula 1’s international expansion, bringing the championship back to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.
Officially named the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, the event will take place at a circuit in Bugesera, roughly 40 kilometres south of Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
A NEW CIRCUIT FOR RWANDA
The planned circuit will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards, the highest classification required to host Formula 1 races. The venue will form part of a wider development project including sports, tourism, infrastructure, and commercial facilities for the country.
The circuit’s design will incorporate the region’s natural elevation changes, with the aim of building a challenging racing experience for drivers while maintaining viewing opportunities for spectators.
The project will be led by the Rwanda Development Board, with the Grand Prix expected to support tourism, investment, and employment opportunities in the country.
OVER THREE DECADES TO RETURN
Africa last hosted a Formula 1 race in 1993 at the Kyalami Circuit in South Africa, where Alain Prost claimed victory. Since then, the continent has remained absent from the calendar despite ongoing discussions about a potential return.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been actively advocating for bringing Formula 1 back to Africa, repeatedly calling for the continent to be represented.
Hamilton has spent several years campaigning behind the scenes, holding discussions with Formula 1 officials and stakeholders about bringing a race back to the continent. Speaking ahead of the 2026 season, Hamilton revealed that he had been pushing for an African Grand Prix for six or seven years and expressed his determination to compete there before retiring.
His support has extended to Rwanda itself, having previously visited the country and described it as one of his favourite destinations in Africa. However, Hamilton has also advocated for South Africa as a potential host, having previously suggested that Formula 1 could return to the existing Kyalami circuit before establishing a longer-term project.
Rwanda’s successful agreement follows interest from several African countries, including South Africa and Morocco, both of which had explored opportunities to host a Grand Prix.
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali welcomed the agreement, highlighting the importance of expanding the championship’s global presence and establishing a long-term partnership with Rwanda.
The prospect of an African Grand Prix has also received support from other drivers, including Max Verstappen and George Russell. Russell highlighted Africa’s absence from the calendar despite Formula 1’s international reach.
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS RWANDA’S SELECTION
Despite the significance of the return, the decision to award hosting rights to Rwanda has attracted criticism over the country’s human rights record and the government’s growing investment in international sporting events.
Rwanda has been led by President Paul Kagame since 2000, with his government facing longstanding accusations of political repression, restrictions on freedom of expression, and the suppression of opposition voices. Critics have questioned whether awarding the country a major international sporting event risks providing legitimacy to a government facing such allegations.
The agreement has also renewed accusations of sportswashing, the use of a major sporting event or partnership to improve a country’s international reputation while diverting attention from political or human rights concerns. Rwanda has increasingly invested in international sports partnerships, including the NBA-backed Basketball Africa League, as part of its strategy to promote tourism and attract investors.
The country’s involvement in regional instability has further added to the criticism. Human Rights Watch and United Nations investigators have documented Rwanda’s support for the M23 armed group in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, raising questions about awarding the country such a high-profile event amid ongoing tensions.
The project also raises financial concerns, particularly given the significant investment required to construct a new FIA-approved circuit and supporting infrastructure. While Rwanda has presented the project as an opportunity for economic growth and job creation, the scale of the investment raises questions about its costs and long-term benefits.
SOUTH AFRICA REMAINS INTERESTED
Unlike Rwanda, South Africa already has an established motorsport facility, although upgrades would be required to meet current Formula 1 standards. South African officials have continued to express interest in hosting a Grand Prix, despite Rwanda securing the agreement.
For Formula 1, the agreement represents a major step towards establishing a racing calendar with a presence on every inhabited continent, marking another milestone in the championship’s international expansion.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene officially inaugurated the new Crèche Ida inside the Héméra Residence on Tuesday 13th October, marking a key moment in the Principality’s ongoing expansion of early childhood care. The Princely Couple was joined at the ceremony by Minister of State Christophe Mirmand, Mayor Georges Marsan, and senior representatives from the Mairie and Princely Government.
Following official speeches, Father Dominique Arz, representing Archbishop Dominique-Marie David, formally blessed the premises before the guests toured the new facility.
Father Dominique Arz blessing the premises. Photo Credit: Michaël Alesi / Palais princier
A 700-square-metre haven for Monaco’s youngest
Though officially inaugurated this week, Crèche Ida has been welcoming families since 2nd September. The facility provides 30 new nursery places spanning 700 square metres, complemented by a spacious 140-square-metre outdoor terrace. Day-to-day operations are managed by a team of 13 childcare professionals led by Director Manon Deloison.
Situated in the heart of the residential La Condamine district, the facility directly serves neighbouring state housing developments, expanding local capacity alongside the nearby Crèche de l’Île aux Bambins. The name Ida pays tribute to local heritage, referencing a historic villa that once stood on the site.
Strategic expansion towards 2030
Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Georges Marsan highlighted that the project sits at the core of municipal family policy, strengthening the Principality’s capacity to support working parents.
The creation of Crèche Ida stems from a joint strategic review by the Mairie de Monaco and the Princely Government to anticipate early childhood requirements heading towards 2030. Under this initiative, modern nursery spaces are being directly integrated into new state housing construction projects.
With Crèche Ida now operational, Monaco’s communal nursery network capacity reaches 430 places, delivering immediate support to local families.
Lycée Rainier III welcomed some of Monaco’s rising hospitality talents on Thursday 8th October, hosting the third edition of the Young Chef, Waiter, and Mixologist (YYY) competition, which saw three young professionals selected to represent the Principality internationally.
The annual competition brought together competitors aged 28 and under from some of Monaco’s most well-known hospitality establishments, challenging them to showcase their culinary creativity, service expertise, and mixology skills before a panel of judges.
Following the competition, Rambod Amini of L’Abysse Monte-Carlo was named the winning chef, Louis Martin of Pavyllon Monte-Carlo by Yannick Alléno took the waiter title, and Thanh-Danh Morter of the Casino de Monte-Carlo secured the mixologist award.
The three winners will now form Team Monaco at the World YYY Final in London next year, hoping to build on Monaco’s second-place finish earlier this year.
YYY Monaco Chairman Robert Lee Mulcahy praised Lycée Rainier III’s continued support, particularly recognising Headmaster Leslie Giobergia, Deputy Head Christophe Joublin, and the school’s students and staff. “The attention to detail and generosity was very much appreciated,” he said.
CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION
The competition tested participants across three disciplines, each presenting its own challenges.
The chefs were given two and a half hours to prepare and present a full three-course menu for guests, with judges assessing creativity, flavour, sustainability, and teamwork. This year’s competitors took an adventurous approach to their menus, with dishes developed around ingredients including beetroot, cauliflower, and mushrooms.
Winning chef Rambod Amini of L’Abysse Monte-Carlo prepares his dishes during the YYY Monaco competition. Photo source: YYY Monaco
Speaking to Monaco Life, Mulcahy highlighted the growing creativity demonstrated by participants, especially their willingness to experiment with their menus. He also emphasised the competition’s focus on sustainability, particularly the collaboration between chefs and mixologists.
“The chef works with a mixologist and the mixologist, as one of their tasks, takes scraps of food left over from creating the dishes and uses that in their cocktail. So it’s zero waste,” Mulcahy explained.
The waiters were assessed on their table presentation, preparation, organisation, and professionalism, while mixologists were challenged to create original cocktails incorporating mystery ingredients, with storytelling, technique, and sustainability all playing a part in the judging criteria.
Mixologist Thanh-Danh Morter showcases his skills during the YYY Monaco competition. Photo source: YYY Monaco
BUILDING CONFIDENCE BEYOND COMPETITION
For Mulcahy, one of the most encouraging developments this year was the growth demonstrated by returning competitors. He highlighted waiter category winner Louis Martin, who had previously competed without winning the title but returned this year with confidence and determination.
“It’s one thing for somebody to compete and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t win it, I won’t do it again.’ But then to go, ‘I’m going to go for it again,’” Mulcahy told Monaco Life. “As a person, his confidence has improved because of the competition. He’s taken it on as a challenge and won this year.”
Mulcahy also emphasised the importance of building a supportive environment, explaining that organisers intentionally brought finalists together the day before the competition. Participants met, shared a meal, and visited the wine cellars at the Hôtel de Paris and Distillerie de Monaco, allowing them to get to know one another before competing.
“They’re not seeing each other as competitors. They’re helping each other in the kitchen today. The mixologists are helping each other with ingredients. So it’s camaraderie, as opposed to silence and an exam approach. It’s supposed to be fun.”
MONACO SETS ITS SIGHTS ON INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
With the national winners now confirmed, attention turns to the World YYY Final in London, where Team Monaco will compete against young hospitality professionals from around the world.
The Principality enters the next edition with a strong recent record, having secured second place overall earlier this year through the efforts of Clara Germain, Eric Maccario, and Clara Babkine.
YYY Monaco 2026 winners Rambod Amini, Louis Martin, and Thanh-Danh Morter, pictured alongside Lycée Rainier III Headmaster Leslie Giobergia and YYY Monaco Chairman Robert Lee Mulcahy. Photo source: YYY Monaco
Mulcahy explained that although competitors work in mixed teams during the Monaco competition, each participant was judged individually. The three category winners are then brought together to form the national team.
These newly selected representatives therefore have the opportunity to develop their teamwork ahead of the final, combining expertise from some of Monaco’s most recognised hospitality venues.
Beyond the competition itself, Mulcahy hopes the initiative continues to inspire the younger generation to pursue careers in hospitality, while providing emerging professionals with opportunities to develop their skills and gain recognition.
First launched in 2023 with Prince Albert II attending the inaugural awards announcement, YYY Monaco has continued to develop as a showcase for the Principality’s young hospitality talent.
