Monaco welcomed Council of Europe Secretary General based on mutual values.

On the 8th and the 9th April 2026, Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, visited in his institutional role the Principality of Monaco in view of the Monaco's Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, from the 15th May to the 10th November 2026. Officially acknowledged by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, in the presence of Thomas Brezzo, President of the National Council, and Samuel Vuelta Simon, Secretary of State for Justice, and Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

The Secretary General showed great appreciation in the Monaco's constant commitment to promoting human rights, consolidating the rule of law and strengthening democracy, following the same Council of Europe’s targets. The Principality, in particular, set out to pursue a very specific line to face the current international geopolitical crisis, notably: "The protection of all, by an effective Organisation, to meet contemporary challenges".

Photo >> Alain Berset, Council of Europe Secretary General, welcomed by Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. at the international press conference (Monaco, 9th April 2026) © Direction de la Communication - Stéphane Danna / Manuel Vitali

During this visit, Alain Berset had the opportunity to meet a diplomatic delegation and the new generations. Nearly one hundred and fifty high school students from Monaco, as part of a training exchange dedicated to the future of democracy in Europe, including key topics like misinformation, social conflicts and the impact of new technologies in democratic societies.

The current Council of Europe Secretary General, has consistently championed Sustainability as part of his political career, through a lens of multilateralism, human rights, and environmental protection. As President of the Swiss Confederation, he has previously linked environmental action to democratic stability and health.

Since his appointment at the Council of Europe in September 2024, he has been focusing on increasingly combining Sustainable Development with the rule of law and democratic security.

In his recent attendance to COP30, in Bélem (Brazil) from the 10th to the 21st November 2025, he confirmed himself as a great supporter of the fundamental universal right to a healthy environment. He also highlighted the crucial role of acting against climate change to preserve living-being values and future.

Not by change, the Council of Europe (CdE) is the leading international organisation for the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This institution, founded in 1949 and based in Strasbourg, includes 46 Member States, basing its action on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as on the Berne Convention, which protects wild fauna and flora and their habitats in Europe and elsewhere, and the Landscape Convention, devoted to the protection of the natural and cultural landscapes within the European continent, supporting biodiversity.

This official visit of Alain Berset to the Principality testified the great communion of intentions between Monaco and the Council of Europe in pursuing tangible objectives through concrete actions. We only have to see what the developments of this synergy will be. ***

✒️ Maurice Abbati

• Strategic Communication Specialist, Editor in Chief, Journalist, Executive.

• Lecturer and Author in English in the field of Environmental Communication to foster Circular and Blue Economy