The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will make a state visit to Monaco this Friday, 21st, at the invitation of Prince Albert II, with which he will address issues such as combating climate change and defending the oceans.
Upon arrival in the Principality, on Thursday night, the head of state commented that “more action is needed” in defending the environment and it is necessary to “meet the targets”, something that, he lamented, “has not happened”.
“Unfortunately, climate and the environment are no longer a priority. Let’s talk about that and the oceans, where Monaco has been a constant supporter of Portugal and our fight for the environment, for the climate, for the oceans. But it is a priority that has been lost in the last two years”, he observed.
This is Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s first state visit to Monaco and one of the last of his mandate.
Less than two months before the presidential elections, scheduled for January 18th, and around three and a half months before leaving office (March 9, 2026), Marcelo is on his 170th trip abroad – in a count that includes, in addition to official visits, all other trips, for various reasons, and divided by country, even if they were made immediately.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be received in the morning at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco by Albert II, in a ceremony with military honors, hymns and review of the guard of honor, followed by an audience, lunch and signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement.
In the early afternoon, the President of the Republic will visit a photographic exhibition about King D. Carlos – which he shared with Prince Albert I, great-great-grandfather of the current monarch, both sharing a passion for oceanography – and will participate in the inauguration of a bust of the former Portuguese monarch in the gardens of Saint-Martin, close to the palace.
Next, the head of state pays a visit to the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, the same place where, at the end of the afternoon, he offers a reception to the Portuguese community in the Principality, after which he will return to Lisbon.
According to a note released by the Presidency of the Republic, on the official website, this state visit “is testimony to the historical and friendly ties between the two countries, as well as the desire to reinforce bilateral cooperation on matters of common interest, with a focus on preserving the oceans and biodiversity”.