Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member States will hold an online ministerial session on 4 November. During their annual meeting, the Ministers will be invited to take position on the response to the health crisis in full respect for democracy, rule of law and human rights. They will also discuss the role of the Organisation in response to conflicts and crises in Europe, securing the long-term effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights system and the Council of Europe’s policy towards neighbouring regions.
Ministers will also examine the report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović-Burić. which reviews the action of the Organisation since the Helsinki Ministerial session in May 2019 and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Multilateralism 2020).
The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will address the meeting which will be chaired by the Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis. A press conference with the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is foreseen at the end of meeting, around 1 p.m. (2 p.m. in Athens). A ceremony will be held on the same day in Athens to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights, in the presence of the Greek President, Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou, and the main leaders of the Council of Europe: Secretary General Marija Pejčinović-Burić, Parliamentary Assembly President Rik Daems, President of the European Court of Human Rights Robert Spano, and Human Rights Commissioner, Dunja Mijatović. The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Anders Knape, will address a video message on this occasion.
