“Where democracy weakens, peace becomes fragile.” That was one of the central messages from Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset as he concluded a three-day visit to New York during the United Nations General Assembly.
Meeting UN officials, national leaders and representatives of regional organisations, the Secretary General made the case for international law, democratic security and stronger international cooperation. The visit also saw the inauguration of the Council of Europe’s first permanent observer office to the United Nations.
“We need to rethink our idea of security and move towards democratic security,” the Secretary General said. “Democratic security protects people, their rights and the institutions that serve them.”
Strengthening ties with the UN
In talks with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Council of Europe Secretary General stressed the potential of combining the UN’s global reach with the Council of Europe’s legal standards and institutions to turn shared commitments into concrete results.
Strengthening cooperation with other regional organisations was a major theme of the visit. The Secretary General met African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, League of Arab States Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy and Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi. Their discussions focused on upholding international law, addressing shared challenges and developing practical cooperation, in line with the Council of Europe’s Strategy on external action.
Secretary General Berset also opened the Council of Europe side event “Delivering social rights, renewing democracy: from Doha and Chișinău to a New Democratic Pact for Europe”, highlighting the role of social rights in strengthening democratic resilience, public trust and democratic security.
“Across Europe, more people feel the system no longer works for them,” the Secretary General told side event participants. “Housing costs more. Healthcare is out of reach for many. Wages don’t follow,” he added, asking: “Can democracy still deliver?”
Ukraine, the Middle East and Cyprus
Ukraine was high on the agenda. The Secretary General took part in the sixth Summit of the International Crimea Platform and met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
“Accountability is essential for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” the Secretary General said. “We have built the legal architecture, and now we must make it work; the Council of Europe will remain fully engaged, with Ukraine and our international partners.”
He held talks with UN Under-Secretary-General for political and peacebuilding affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and senior UN representatives working on violence against children and children affected by armed conflict, including in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Later on Wednesday, he was due to meet María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus, to discuss renewed UN efforts towards a settlement and possible Council of Europe support.
Next stop: Washington
Secretary General Berset travels from New York to Washington D.C. on Wednesday evening local time for the second leg of his visit to the United States. His programme there will focus on relations with the United States, Ukraine, European security and cooperation between regional organisations, including meetings with members of the United States Congress and the Organization of American States.
