Five days after formally assuming the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Monaco took the chair for the first time in Strasbourg on 20th May, as Foreign Affairs Minister Isabelle Berro-Amadeï set out the Principality’s priorities for the six-month mandate.
Berro-Amadeï outlined six thematic areas that will guide Monaco’s presidency through to 10 November 2026: the protection of women, children’s and young people’s rights, support for the European human rights protection system, the fight against organised crime, sport, and the pursuit of practical solutions to contemporary challenges.
A historic first for the Principality
Monaco is assuming the presidency of the Committee of Ministers for the first time since its accession to the Council of Europe, under the guiding ambition of ‘Protecting everyone, through an effective Organisation, in response to contemporary challenges’.
The 46 member states take on the presidency in turn for six months, in English alphabetical order, with the rotation changing each May and November. Monaco follows the Republic of Moldova and will be succeeded by Montenegro.
Speaking as she assumed the chair, Berro-Amadeï warned that “European democracies are currently facing major challenges and the principles at the heart of our shared endeavour are sometimes being undermined.”
Ceremonies mark the handover in Strasbourg
The day included several events celebrating Monaco’s new role. A bilateral meeting with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset was followed by a musical performance by Stella Almondo, a young Monegasque pianist, in the foyer of the Council of Europe building.
A flag-raising ceremony was held on the Council of Europe forecourt in the presence of the Secretary General, and, following tradition, Monaco’s flag was raised in Strasbourg city centre. A tram in the colours of the Monegasque presidency was also inaugurated. La Palladienne performed on the Place de la Mairie as part of the day’s programme.
Months of events ahead
Monaco’s institutions are fully mobilised for the presidency, with the Secretary of State for Justice and members of the Prince’s Government set to participate in events across all six thematic priorities in the coming weeks.
A cultural programme will run alongside the political agenda, with events designed to promote Monaco’s cultural life to audiences in Strasbourg, including concerts, film screenings, and gastronomy initiatives.
Ambassador Gabriel Revel, Monaco’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, is leading the day-to-day work of the presidency, supported by Deputy Permanent Representative Gabriel Chabert, Margaux Girardin, and legal adviser Ghiwane Boumediene, alongside the team from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Full details of the presidency’s programme are available at monaco-coe-presidency.gouv.mc.
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Photo credit: Stephane Danna, Government Communications Department