The Secretary General of the 46-member Council of Europe, Alain Berset, will pay an official visit to the United Kingdom on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 April.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Secretary General said: “The United Kingdom was a driving force in setting up the Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights, and the UK has played a key role in shaping our organisation ever since.
“In these turbulent times, it is essential that we work together to address pressing issues, guided by our shared core values. These include threats to democracy and the rule of law, managing migration and ensuring accountability for Ukraine.”
Senior UK government figures to meet with Secretary General Berset
During the visit, Secretary General Berset will meet UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Chris Elmore, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Discussions are expected to focus on recent geopolitical developments, including conflict in the Middle East, the importance of democratic security in the face of significant challenges to the international rule of law, and the Council of Europe’s priority work in support of Ukraine.
On-going negotiations towards a political declaration on issues related to migration and the European Convention on Human Rights will also be discussed, ahead of the forthcoming meeting of Council of Europe foreign ministers in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova) on 15 May.
On Thursday 23 April, Secretary General Berset will speak alongside Attorney General Lord Hermer KC at a joint event on "Democratic Security after the Rupture" at Oxford University’s Bonavero Institute of Human Rights.
During the visit, the Secretary General will also meet London-based ambassadors from the 46 Council of Europe member states and members of the Attorney General’s Youth Ambassadors Programme, as well as taking part in an event at the House of Commons alongside Speaker Lindsay Hoyle and Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Latvian Parliament.
Secretary General Alain Berset
The United Kingdom and the Council of Europe
The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights in the United Kingdom
European Court of Human Rights “Country profile” on the United Kingdom (pdf)
