Prince Albert II in New York to celebrate 30th anniversary of Monaco joining UN
Prince Albert II travelled to New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Monaco joining the United Nations in 1993 - © Frédéric Nebinger / Prince's Palace
Princess Stéphanie and Camille Gottlieb were also present for a historic moment in more ways than one.
On Monday 19 June, the Sovereign, Princess Stéphanie and Camille Gottlieb took part in the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Monaco joining the United Nations, as part of the Prince Rainier III centenary celebrations.
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The Prince met the President of the 77th session of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi. During their exchange, they both spoke about science, the environment, and actions taken to promote women’s rights in Monaco.
The Sovereign, Princess Stéphanie, Isabelle Berro-Amadei, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Isabelle Picco, Monaco’s Ambassador to the United Nations, then met the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres.
Once again, discussions were centered on the environment, and more specifically the Climate Ambition Summit and the future international instrument to put an end to plastic pollution.
The war in Ukraine and the Principality’s actions were also discussed.
A historic agreement to protect international waters
Prior to these two meetings, the Prince spoke at the historic ratification of the BBNJ Treaty. A treaty designed to further protect marine biodiversity on the high seas. The United Nations Member States adopted this first international treaty by consensus, after 15 years of negotiations.
The BBNJ treaty now establishes a legal framework to protect parts of the ocean that are outside international jurisdiction and marks a significant step forward in safeguarding international waters.
In his speech, the Sovereign welcomed the consensus: “With this Agreement, we are breaking with the status quo. We commit ourselves to fight more effectively against the threats affecting the seas and oceans, in particular the massive loss of marine biodiversity, the destruction of marine habitats and ecosystems, pollution, overfishing and the harmful effects of climate change. (…) The same determination that led to the conclusion of the negotiations must guide us to ensure that this historic agreement is implemented as quickly as possible.”
The Prince also stated that Monaco will pursue its commitment and continue to work to safeguard the world’s oceans. It should be noted that the BBNJ treaty will be open for signature for two years from 20 September 2023, and must be ratified by 60 States before it can come into force.
The Prince’s Carabinieri Orchestra plays at the United Nations
In addition to his sister, his niece and his delegation, the Sovereign was accompanied by the Carabinieri Orchestra, which gave a unique concert organised by Monaco’s Permanent Mission to the UN. Inside the emblematic United Nations General Assembly Hall, under the baton of Major Olivier Dréan, the Orchestra played an eclectic score, combining tradition and modernity in this symbolic venue, in front of 1,200 guests. The 27 Orchestra musicians were accompanied by a guitarist from the NATO Jazzband. Together they played Santana’s Europa.
It was also an opportunity to commemorate the centenary of Prince Rainier III. “It was a truly beautiful tribute,” commented the Sovereign on Monaco Info. “Not only to our membership of the United Nations, but also to everything my father did to ensure that Monaco was able to join the community of nations. My father would have been incredibly moved by it. And of course we also thought of Albert Croesi.”
“We were expecting to do something big, something grand, but in the end we did something historic, and that’s when we realised where we were. We knew something was going to happen, and this is truly historic. We really felt that we were playing the diplomatic role that is expected of the Carabinieri, whereas we normally serve diplomacy in Monaco. We played a diplomatic role through the Orchestra,” said Commandant Martial Pied, Chef de Corps of the Carabinieri, also on Monaco Info.
The day ended with a reception at the UN headquarters, where 500 guests were able to visit a photo exhibition dedicated to the 30 years of cooperation between the Principality and the United Nations.