Iceland has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Ireland during a meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 46 member states.
The incoming Chair – Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir – presented the priorities of the Icelandic Presidency, which will run until May.
Iceland’s Presidency will focus on four main priorities:
- The Council’s core principles of human rights, democracy, and rule of law
- The Environment
- Equality
- Children and youth
Prior to that, the outgoing Chair of the Committee of Ministers – Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney – also gave an overview of his country’s achievements over the past six months. During Iceland’s Presidency, the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held on 16 and 17 May 2023 in Reykjavik.
Council of Europe web page on the Icelandic Presidency