On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of Monaco’s membership in the United Nations, the Secretary-General met today with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Princely Palace in Monaco. 

They discussed Monaco’s ongoing support to the work of the United Nations, notably in the areas of sustainable development and specifically on the marine environment, the promotion of peace and security through sports, and humanitarian assistance. The Secretary-General thanked the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco for his personal commitment to the protection of biodiversity and the world’s oceans as well as his work to combat climate change through the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The Secretary-General commended the strong engagement of various members of the Royal Family of Monaco through their involvement in UN initiatives and underscored the global reach of their efforts.

The Secretary-General and Prince Albert II focussed on key aspects of the global agenda for the coming months and years, such as reinvigorating efforts to combat climate change, accelerating progress on the Millennium Development Goals and developing a comprehensive framework for sustainable development. His Serene Highness stressed the need to ensure commitment towards sustainable ocean management in any future framework.  Both noted the importance of taking into account the broadest range of views and ideas for the sustainable development agenda, as captured by initiatives such as the UN’s “MY World” outreach tool. 

During the meeting, the Secretary-General and Prince Albert II also underscored the significance of this week’s adoption by the UN General Assembly of the first-ever Arms Trade Treaty.  They further exchanged views on the situation in Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali. The Secretary-General noted with appreciation Monaco's long-standing support to Mali in the fields of healthcare, development and humanitarian assistance as well as its on-going assistance to Haiti.

The Secretary-General will continue his two-day visit to Monaco tomorrow, when he will meet with the Ministers of State and Foreign Affairs of the Principality of Monaco.