On 5 March 2026, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the CEI Executive Secretariat, scheduled to take place in Trieste on 17 March 2026, Secretary General Franco Dal Mas paid a working visit to Rome.
During his stay, Dal Mas met - at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation - with Minister Plenipotentiary Nicola Verola, Director General for Europe and International Trade Policy, to discuss the main elements of the anniversary event and coordination with institutional and diplomatic partners.
The mission continued - also in the presence of Director General Verola - with a meeting with Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of the CEI Member States accredited to Italy, hosted at the Embassy of Romania in Rome, as Romania holds the CEI Presidency in 2026. Guests were welcomed by the Ambassador of Romania to Italy, Gabriela Dancău. The meeting was also attended by Alfredo Maria Durante Mangoni, Italy’s CEI National Coordinator.
During the meeting, Dal Mas presented the programme of the anniversary conference and outlined the key elements of the event promoted by the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Antonio Tajani, in cooperation with Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu, in her capacity as representative of the CEI Presidency 2026. The participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CEI Member States is expected, together with other high-level representatives and institutional partners.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to recall the significance of the anniversary, marking thirty years since the signing of the Headquarters Agreement establishing the CEI Executive Secretariat in Trieste in 1996. The conference will offer a moment to reflect on the achievements of the Organisation over the past three decades, while also looking ahead to the future priorities of regional cooperation.
In his remarks, Secretary General Dal Mas reiterated the CEI’s role as a platform for dialogue and cooperation bringing together 17 Member States, with the shared objective of strengthening regional cohesion and supporting the European integration process.
During his visit to Rome, the Secretary General also gave interviews to Italpress and Radio Romania, highlighting the strategic role of the CEI in promoting connectivity, sustainable development, and cooperation across Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.
More info: arsova@cei.int
