This year, the UK has been selected to host the summit and UK PM Boris Johnson is the President of the G7.
Formed in the mid-1970s, the G7 club of major industrialised nations includes the US, Germany, Britain, Japan, France, Canada and Italy. Image credit: G7
The first in-person global summit since the COVID-19
pandemic hit is going to be held this month. It will be taking place in the United Kingdom (UK) and will host leaders from the world over. The G7 summit is being seen as a primer for the much-awaited COP26 UN Climate Conference – another summit that was cancelled last year – that will be held in Glasgow in November. This year, the UK has been selected to host the G7 summit, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is President of the G7.
What is the G7?
The Group of 7 (G7) is made up of the world’s seven largest influential societies and advanced economies. The group includes the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and Italy. The EU participates in all discussions as a guest. Created in 1976, the erstwhile G6 became G7 when it invited the PM of Canada to join the courtier of the world’s largest, most advanced economies.
Incidentally, even though China is one of the largest economies today, it is not included in the G7. According to the BBC, this is because its relatively low level of wealth per person means it is not seen as an advanced economy in the way members of the G7 are.
Every year, different countries are invited to partake in the summit as guests. This year, President Johnson has invited leaders from Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa to attend. Between them, the 11 leaders represent more than 60 percent (over 2.2 billion people) living in democracies around the world.
There are seven Ministerial Tracks that will cover economic, environmental, health, trade, technology, development and foreign policy issues. There are also six G7 Engagement Groups that will advise them on aspects including youth, women, science, civil society, business and labour.
Who is attending the summit?
US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi will travel to the UK to attend the summit.
This will be the first G7 Summit for the leaders of the US, Japan and Italy.
Biden will stop at the Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth II when he visits the UK for the summit.
After the summit, Trudeau will also attend the NATO Summit on 14 June, followed by the Canada-European Union (EU) Summit in Brussels, Belgium.
Reuters reported that due to the severe COVID-19 situation in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to the UK for the G7. Instead, he will attend the discussion virtually.
“While appreciating the invitation to the Prime Minister by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to attend the G7 Summit as a Special Invitee, given the prevailing COVID situation, it has been decided that the Prime Minister will not attend the G7 Summit in person,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
When and where will G7 2021 be held?
The G7 Summit is being held in the Carbis Bay Hotel, Cornwall, from 11 to 13 June. This will be the 47th such summit; last year was the first time the summit was cancelled since its formation. The 2020 summit was to be hosted by former US President Donald Trump.
The G7 official website describes Cornwall as a region with a “distinct cultural identity, including its own language and traditions”. It is in the South West of England and is recognised as one of the six Celtic nations. This region has been selected to host the summit as it is seen as the centre of the UK’s green technology sector.
Which issues will be discussed at G7 2021?
According to a BBC report, during the summit, most discussions are held and decisions taken behind closed doors. It is only at the end of the summit that a communique is released, which includes all the decisions made by the group.
To fight back and build strongly after the pandemic is the main issue highlighted by the UK’s Policy Priorities. Other topics the summit will discuss are:
- Leading global recovery from COVID-19 while strengthening resilience against future pandemics
- Promoting prosperity by championing free and fair trade
- Tackling climate change and preserving the planet’s biodiversity
- Championing shared values
What is the schedule for the summit?
According to Express UK, the G7 leaders will arrive in Cornwall on 11 June, with the first meetings scheduled for the next morning. Guest countries will arrive on the afternoon of 12 June. The summit will finish on 13 June and the communique will be published thereafter.
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