Berro-Amadeï meets Council of Europe chiefs in Strasbourg
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Isabelle Berro-Amadeï held talks with the Council of Europe's top officials in Strasbourg as the Principality's presidency of the organisation draws to a close.
Strasbourg hosted Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Monaco's Government Counsellor and Minister of External Relations and Cooperation, on Wednesday morning for a round of meetings at the Council of Europe's headquarters. She sat down with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and the organisation's Secretary General, along with members of the Secretariat, in what amounted to a stock-take as the Principality's presidency term nears its conclusion.
Monaco took on the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers earlier in the term, a position that carries symbolic weight for a state of its size and puts the Principality's diplomatic priorities, from human rights to environmental cooperation, on the organisation's agenda for six months. The Strasbourg visit gave Berro-Amadeï the chance to review what has been achieved and discuss the handover to the next presiding state.
For Monaco residents, this sort of diplomatic engagement rarely makes headlines locally, but it matters for how the Principality is perceived abroad. A well-run presidency reinforces Monaco's standing among the Council's 46 member states and supports the broader diplomatic relationships that underpin everything from bilateral agreements to the Principality's voice on European policy matters.