Monaco assumes presidency of Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe for the first time

The Principality of Monaco will assume, for the first time, the presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Isabelle of Monaco Berro-Amadeï today made statements to this effect at the Ministerial Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

The Monegasque official stressed that the presidency comes "with a deep sense of responsibility" and thanked Moldova for the way it had managed the work and maintained the "spirit of dialogue and unity" within the organization.

"Since its accession to the Council of Europe in 2004, Monaco has constantly  reaffirmed its commitment to the fundamental values of the organization," Berro-Amadeï stated, reiterating the Principality’s commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

She warned that the current international context was marked by "increasing instability," underlining the interdependence of European states and the need to respect international law as the basis for mutual trust between states.

"No country is immune to contemporary crises," the minister said, adding that Europe is going through a difficult period in which "the vulnerabilities of democracies are putting collective cohesion to the test."

In the opinion of the Monegasque presidency, the Council of Europe must strengthen its relevance through the effective implementation of its instruments, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the Strasbourg Court.

Priorities include the protection of vulnerable persons, combating violence against women and children, as well as adapting policies to the new challenges of the digital society, including the risks of disinformation, radicalization and mental health problems.

The official also emphasized the need to involve young people in decision-making processes and highlighted the role of sport as a factor of social cohesion, provided that a safe environment is ensured.

Isabelle Berro-Amadeï also underlined the importance of strengthening international cooperation in combating organized crime, terrorism and cybercrime.

Referring to the war in Ukraine, the minister said that "there can be no lasting peace without justice and accountability," advocating support for the victims and for international accountability mechanisms.

She also drew attention to the phenomenon of disinformation, which she described as a direct threat to the working of European democracies.

Moldova took over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on November 14, 2025. The mandate is exercised by our country for a period of six months, until May 15, this year. This is the second time the state has held this responsibility; the first presidency having been exercised in 2003.

The Committee of Ministers is the main decision-making body of the Council of Europe, responsible for implementing the organization’s goals. Member states are represented by their foreign affairs ministers and by their permanent representatives to the Council of Europe.

The Council of Europe is a European intergovernmental organization set up on  May 9, 1949. It currently has 46 member states and its official seat is in Strasbourg, France. The main objectives of the Council of Europe are the protection of human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law; identifying solutions to the problems facing the European society and strengthening democratic stability in Europe by supporting political, legislative and constitutional reforms.