On 26 September 2025 Secretary General Franco Dal Mas concluded his week of activities on the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly with the Informal Meeting of the CEI Ministers of Foreign Affairs chaired by Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, under the Serbian CEI Presidency.
Dal Mas reaffirmed the Organisation’s commitment to promoting European integration and supporting Ukraine, while also attending high-level events such as the opening of the UN General Assembly, the “Friends of the Balkans” summit – organised by Italian Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani and dedicated to the EU enlargement process of the Western Balkans – and the Crimea Platform summit chaired by Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky who strongly warned that “war cannot become the new normal”.
The CEI reaffirms its role to promote peace, security and respect for international law. As an observer at the United Nations, it has repeatedly expressed its support for Ukraine, also through UN resolutions, and continues to pursue this commitment.
The Ministerial meeting particularly reaffirmed the Organisation’s role as a platform for regional dialogue and cooperation. Foreign Minister Đurić stressed that enlargement was a strategic project for Europe, confirming Belgrade’s determination to move forward with clear objectives and concrete progress. He also underlined his country’s determination to strengthen regional connectivity as a priority for fostering economic opportunities across the region.
On this occasion, Secretary General Dal Mas recalled the CEI’s numerous activities in support of regional cooperation, European integration and connectivity, while highlighting new opportunities linked to the IMEC project for the Balkan region. He also referred to the Organisation’s commitment to the development of the Trieste–Ljubljana–Zagreb–Belgrade railway link, as well as to judicial diplomacy through the Falcone-Borsellino project.
The next CEI Ministerial Meeting under the Serbian Presidency is scheduled to take place at the end of November.
For more info: arsova@cei.int
