Monaco Hosts Council of Europe Ambassadors: 46 Member States Meet in the Principality on September 2

MONACO – The Principality of Monaco is preparing to host an important international institutional meeting as part of its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the Oceanographic Museum will welcome the 1,567th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies, bringing together the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states.

The meeting is one of the key events of Monaco’s Presidency and highlights the Principality’s role in European multilateral dialogue, with particular emphasis on the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

The Committee of Ministers meets in Monaco

The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe’s decision-making body. It meets weekly in Strasbourg at ambassadorial level and once a year at ministerial level.

The September 2 meeting will mark the resumption of work following the summer recess and will exceptionally be held in Monaco, at the Oceanographic Museum.

The meeting will be opened by Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Chair of the Committee of Ministers. It will be chaired by H.E. Gabriel Revel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Monaco to the Council of Europe.

Hosting a meeting on national territory is part of a tradition whereby the country holding the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers invites delegations to attend a meeting in its own country.

For Monaco, the event will also provide an opportunity to introduce European Ambassadors to the Principality’s heritage, history and distinctive characteristics.

Environmental crisis and human rights at the heart of the debate

One of the main highlights of the meeting will be a thematic debate on the environmental crisis through the prism of human rights.

Organized at the initiative of the Monegasque Presidency, the discussion will bring together experts who will examine the issue from several perspectives, including scientific findings, legal challenges and possible political responses.

Among the experts will be Dr Céline Dubreuil-Degortes, from the Ocean Policy Directorate of the Oceanographic Institute.

The aim is to encourage discussion among member states on the consequences of the environmental crisis and on how institutions can strengthen the protection of fundamental rights in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental challenges.

Monaco strengthens its commitment to environmental protection

The choice of topic is closely linked to Monaco’s longstanding commitment to environmental protection, the fight against climate change and biodiversity conservation.

The Monegasque Presidency is also connecting the debate with commitments made at the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, held in Reykjavík in 2023.

At that summit, the urgency of strengthening the Organisation’s response to the environmental crisis and its consequences for the effective enjoyment of fundamental rights was recognized.

The Monaco debate therefore forms part of a broader European discussion in which environmental protection and human rights are increasingly viewed as closely interconnected issues.

What does the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers do?

The Committee of Ministers is the decision-making body of the Council of Europe, an international organisation founded in 1949 to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The weekly meetings of the Ambassadors allow member states to address major issues concerning the Organisation and discuss common responses to the challenges facing Europe.

The Council of Europe currently brings together 46 member states and represents more than 700 million citizens.

The presence in Monaco of the Permanent Representatives of the member states therefore gives the September 2 meeting a strong international and diplomatic dimension.

Gabriel Revel: an opportunity to showcase Monaco

According to Gabriel Revel, holding the meeting in the Principality during Monaco’s Presidency not only highlights Monaco’s commitment to the Council of Europe, but also gives delegations an opportunity to discover the country holding the Presidency more closely.

The event therefore has a dual dimension: institutional, through dialogue among member states, and diplomatic, by highlighting Monaco’s international role.