Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Monaco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, stressed the need to strengthen the common legal space, while reaffirming the importance of supporting Ukraine in its quest for justice and preserving multilateralism against a backdrop of sweeping change.
In Ukraine, there can be no lasting peace without justice
During her visit to Kyiv on 15 September, the minister reaffirmed the support of the Committee of Ministers for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the Committee’s determination to ensure that the rule of law prevails.
The Council of Europe continues to develop a comprehensive framework for accountability and redress, through the Register of Damage, which has received 195 000 claims , the International Claims Commission and the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
“Behind the mechanisms we are building, there are people waiting for justice to be done,” said Ms Berro-Amadeï.
The return of children who have been unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred also remains “an absolute priority”, she added.
Keeping multilateralism alive through dialogue, co-operation and the law
In an international context in which crises are proliferating and becoming increasingly intertwined, Ms Berro-Amadeï highlighted the Council of Europe’s strength in fostering political dialogue beyond the European continent, in particular through its new Permanent Observer Office to the United Nations in New York and its strategy on external action.
“At a time when multilateralism is being put to the test, we must bring together the institutions that keep it alive,” she said.
In her address, the President of the Committee of Ministers also reaffirmed the shared commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights and to the independence of the European Court of Human Rights, while emphasising the importance of the Council of Europe’s standard-setting work.
“Your national parliaments have a vital role to play in strengthening our common legal space”, she told the parliamentarians.
The minister reviewed the work carried out under the Presidency, in particular to address financial crime, information manipulation and foreign interference, disinformation, the environmental crisis and challenges posed by artificial intelligence. On 3-4 November, Monaco will also host the Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, dedicated to preventing and combating violence and abuse and to promoting physical exercise among young people.
“These efforts illustrate our conviction that the Council of Europe’s effectiveness is also measured by its ability to anticipate the transformations taking place in our societies”, said Ms Berro-Amadeï.
“We need a Council of Europe that is strong, visible and capable of taking action. An Organisation that knows how to respond to crises, without ever allowing urgency to take precedence over the law”, said the minister, concluding that it was “our responsibility to keep multilateralism alive and to demonstrate its relevance through dialogue, co-operation and the law – all instruments of the Council of Europe”.
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On 25 January 2001 the Republic of Armenia joined the Council of Europe as its fully-fledged member state.