CARBIS BAY, UK: The G7 countries along with guest countries, including India, have committed themselves to create open societies and strengthen democracies and rules-based international order.
The leaders of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, the United States of America and the European Union, reaffirmed their shared belief in open societies, democratic values and multilateralism as foundations for dignity, opportunity and prosperity for all and for the responsible stewardship of our planet.
As leaders of over half of the world’s population living in democracies, they said, it is imperative that they reaffirm and encourage others to embrace the values that bind them together, including their respect for international rules and norms relating to human rights, democracy, social inclusion, gender equality, freedom of expression, the rule of law, multilateral system and civic space.
The group said that it is at a critical juncture, “facing threats to freedom and democracy from rising authoritarianism, electoral interference, corruption, economic coercion, manipulation of information, including disinformation, online harms and cyber attacks, politically motivated internet shutdowns, human rights violations and abuses, terrorism and violent extremism.”
“We also face threats to our social fabric from persistent inequalities and discrimination, including racism and resistance to gender equality. In the midst of these threats we will work together to create an open and inclusive rules-based international order for the future that promotes universal human rights and equal opportunities for all.”
To address their own vulnerabilities and tackle common threats, the group committed to cooperate together and with partners to strengthen open societies globally by protecting civic space and media freedom, promoting freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of religion or belief, and by tackling all forms of discrimination, including racism.
The group and guest nations also committed to continue to exchange information and coordinate effective responses to shared threats to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, such as disinformation and arbitrary detention, including through relevant partnerships such as the Rapid Response Mechanism, as appropriate.
Besides, the G7 plus others resolved to promote economic openness and resilience and oppose economic coercion by reasserting a shared economic model, which is founded on open markets, fair competition, and the rule of law, and by reforming the World Trade Organization. They will also collaborate on science-based responses to global challenges and drive innovation by calling on every nation to increase their research transparency and integrity.
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During the Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau encouraged prioritizing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world, and urged continued G7 leadership in closing the funding gaps for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.
The ACT Accelerator supports the global access of vaccines, tests, and treatments, and Canada is one of four countries around the world that has stepped up to meet their assessed share. At the Summit, G7 leaders announced a collective commitment of more than 2 billion doses to be shared with the world, and Canada’s portion of that is 100 million.
Canada’s $1.3 billion contribution to the ACT Accelerator, as part of the $2.5 billion that we have contributed to the global fight against the virus, is helping provide 87 million vaccine doses to developing countries. We are also donating 13 million doses, procured by Canada, to other countries through COVAX.
Climate Finance Prime Minister Trudeau announced a doubling of Canada’s climate finance, from $2.65 billion in 2015 to $5.3 billion over five years, including increased support for adaptation, as well as nature and nature-based solutions that are in line with the G7 Nature Compact. The Prime Minister also announced Canada will increase its provision of grants to 40 per cent, up from 30 per cent previously, for improved access by impacted communities.
This funding will help developing countries build domestic capacity to take climate action, build resiliency, and reduce pollution, including by finding nature-based solutions to climate change like protecting biodiversity and planting trees, and supporting the transition to clean energy and the phasing-out of coal.
He also emphasized the importance of continued G7 leadership on climate and energy in order to reach net-zero by 2050, while also equipping our workers with the skills to take full advantage of the growing economic opportunities associated with clean technology.
Recognizing that thermal coal is the single largest contributor to climate change and a major source of toxic pollution that harms human health, Canada is already phasing out conventional coal-fired electricity across Canada by 2030 and co-founded the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the UK to accelerate the global transition off coal to clean power. G7 leaders also adopted the 2030 G7 Nature Compact, committing to conserve and protect at least 30 per cent of global and domestic land and ocean by 2030, which matches Canada’s ambitious domestic target.
The Prime Minister underscored the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women, youth, marginalized, and underrepresented groups, including Black and racialized communities and Indigenous Peoples. He reiterated the importance of creating a global economic recovery that creates jobs, growth, and opportunities for everyone, and committed to tackling the learning crisis.
Trudeau announced that Canada will renew its contributions to the Global Partnership for Education. This $300 million investment over five years will support girls’ education and help strengthen education systems in developing countries to achieve equitable and quality education for children worldwide.
G7 leaders also discussed preserving hard-won progress and continuing collective efforts to help low- and middle-income countries whose situations have been worsened as a result of the pandemic.
The Prime Minister and his G7 counterparts also agreed to continue efforts to address key regional and global security challenges and counter foreign threats to democracy including disinformation, through the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.
He also stressed the importance of collective efforts to oppose the use of arbitrary detention, including the Canada-led Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-toState Relations and its associated Partnership Action Plan.
The G7 countrie have also spotlighted an arc between Africa and the Indo-Pacific as the space where they wish to expand their democratic footprint amid Chinas rise as a global power. The G7 said on Monday that it will increase its support to the Indo Pacific and Africa, but signalled that grouping was not targeting any specific country, keeping the door open for dialogue. “We resolve to collaborate with partners around the world.”