Monaco and France seal common destiny over oceans

Forty-one years after the last State visit to the Principality by a French President, Emmanuel Macron and Prince Albert II are renewing a strategic alliance, focused on marine protection and the future of the Mediterranean.

8 June 2025 will go down in the annals of Monegasque diplomacy. A President of the French Republic made a State visit to the Principality for the first time since 1984, demonstrating the restoration of excellent Franco-Monegasque relations. The historic meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Prince Albert II is part of a resolutely forward-looking approach to preserving our oceans.

The ocean, the common thread of blue diplomacy

The purpose of the two-day visit was to prepare for the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC3), to be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June. Monaco and France, “maritime nations par excellence,” intend to set an example through exemplary bilateral cooperation, according to a joint press release. The success of the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF), held on 7 and 8 June in Monaco, was an ambitious start to the major international diplomatic event on the oceans.

The Joint Declaration on the Ocean, signed during the visit, formalises their shared commitments: protecting marine ecosystems, fighting marine pollution and combating illegal fishing. A text that has everything of a manifesto for future generations.

Princely Family welcomes Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron for historic state visit

Closer cooperation, from science to security

As well as the oceans, this State visit drew the contours of a multifaceted collaboration. The statutes of the Institut Océanographique de Monaco and the Fondation Albert I may evolve to reflect their shared desire to further marine research. The Villefranche-sur-Mer laboratories, under the aegis of UNESCO, will also receive increased support.

As part of the Ramoge Tripartite Agreement, the two countries are stepping up their efforts with regard to integrated coastal area management. A charter for sustainable cruises in the Mediterranean is another weapon in the environmental arsenal, proving that luxury and ecology can coexist in harmony.

Road safety, a daily issue in cross-border relations, is also receiving special attention, with improvements to the information exchange processes between the two states.

Princess Charlene and Brigitte Macron spend weekend together in Monaco

Symbols and future prospects

In a particularly elegant diplomatic gesture, France has offered to name an underwater ridge in the Indian Ocean after Prince Albert II. The “Prince Albert II Seamount” which is 1958 metres high at 25 degrees south latitude, immortalises the Sovereign’s commitment to knowledge of the oceans.

The State visit also confirms both nations’ European grounding. As members of the European political community, Monaco and France share a common vision in the face of continental challenges: hybrid threats, support for Ukraine, economic security and innovation.

Franco-Monegasque cultural influence is also reflected in Monaco’s continued membership of the governing bodies of TV5 Monde, which is providing coverage of the UNOC3 and the Forum on the Blue Economy with TVMonaco. The media collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment to promoting the French-speaking world.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene inaugurate TVMonaco

The Franco-Monegasque Cooperation Commission, scheduled for 28 November 2025 in the Principality, will make these shared ambitions a reality. The date is already in the diaries, symbol of a shared future.