Prince Albert II calls for stronger multilateralism at UN
Prince Albert II delivered his speech after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine © Michaël Alesi / Prince's Palace
The Sovereign spoke at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations, calling for reform of the international organisation.
On Wednesday 24 September, Prince Albert II addressed the United Nations General Assembly, accompanied by a delegation comprising Isabelle Berro-Amadei, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Isabelle Picco, Monaco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, and Julie Donati, Advisor to the Prince’s Cabinet.
A mixed assessment
In his speech, Prince Albert II gave a nuanced assessment of the United Nations: “80 years ago, the creation of the United Nations marked a decisive turning point in the contemporary history of international relations, providing every State with a forum for dialogue and debate,” mentioning that “Monaco has ratified more than 270 of these treaties which, far beyond their symbolic dimension, govern the daily life of its population.” However, the Sovereign expressed his concerns about contemporary challenges: “We live in a multipolar world where national interests tend to take precedence over the search for a common international ideal.”
With regard to Ukraine, Prince Albert II declared: “Monaco firmly condemns the war of aggression against Ukraine and the suffering it is inflicting on the civilian population,” adding that “the violence has resulted in unacceptable loss of life.”
The environment, a key priority
Faithful to his environmental commitments, the Sovereign announced that his country would “double the specific international funding it provides for climate action by 2028 ” and stressed the urgency of the ocean, pointing out that “the Principality organised the Blue Economy and Finance Forum ahead of this conference” with “1,800 participants from almost 100 countries.” He concluded by calling for UN reform: “Reform of our organisation must restore the confidence of peoples and bring them together in an effective structure, centred on its founding values.”