AIR Spotlight: Outcomes of G7 Summit and QUAD Leaders' Meeting

AIR Spotlight is an insightful program featured daily on the All India Radio News on air. In this program, many eminent panellists discuss issues of importance which can be quite helpful in IAS exam preparation.

This article is about the discussion on: ‘Outcomes of the G7 Summit and QUAD Leaders Meeting’.

Participants:

• Ashok Sajjanhar: Former Diplomat
• Rajesh Lekh: AIR Correspondent

Context – Leaders of the seven of the world’s most powerful democracies gathered for the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Hiroshima – the location of the world’s first atomic attack at the end of World War Ⅱ.

About G-7

The Group of Seven (G-7) is an informal bloc of industrialised democracies – France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States and Canada that meets annually to discuss issues of common interest like the global economy, international security and energy policy.

• France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany formed the Group of Six (G-6) in 1975 so that the non-communist powers would come together to discuss economic concerns, which at that time included inflation and recession following an OPEC oil embargo.
• In 1976, Canada was also invited to join the group and the first meeting with all Group of 7 (G7) nations was hosted by the United States which was held in Puerto Rico in 1976.
• The European Union has participated fully in the G-7 since 1981 as a “non-enumerated” member.
• Russia joined in 1998 and its inclusion was meant as a signal of cooperation between East and West after the Soviet Union collapse in 1991. G-7 was known as G-8 for several years after Russia joined it.
• Russia was expelled out of the then G-8 in 2014 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine which was seen as a ‘violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’. After the expulsion of Russia, the group was again called the Group of Seven (G-7).
• Summits are held annually and hosted on a rotation basis by the group’s members. The host country not only holds the G7 presidency but also sets the agenda for the year. In 2023, Japan assumed the G-7 Presidency and Italy will host it in 2024.
• The global GDP is moving from the trans-Atlantic region to the Indo-Pacific region. At present G-7 accounts for over 30% of the global GDP reduced from about 50% four decades ago.

Global South –

This year, the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Comoros (chair of the African Union), Cook Islands (chair of the Pacific Islands Forum), India (G20 president), Indonesia (chair of Association of Southeast Asian Nations), South Korea and Vietnam are invited, reflecting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s stress on the importance of reaching out to developing countries, as well as US allies and partners.

• The Prime Minister of Japan Fumia Kishida has stressed on the importance of reaching out to the developing countries in the Global South. He said his country’s role is to bridge the gap between the G7 and the Global South in areas such as energy and food security.
• The relevance and significance of the Global South has increased in recent years.
• The term ‘Global South’ began by loosely referring to those countries that were left out of the industrialisation era and had a conflict of ideology with the capitalist and communist countries, accentuated by the Cold War. It includes countries that are mostly in Asia, Africa and South America.
• India has taken the issues and concerns of the Global South forward under its G20 Presidency. G20 is an important forum which accounts for about 85% of the Global GDP and about 75% of Global Trade. The decisions taken by the G20 leaders have a significant impact on the economy and lives of the people of developing countries. India aims to amplify the voice of the global south under its G20 presidency.
• India hosted virtually the two-day ‘Voice of the Global South 2023 Summit’ in January ’23 with the theme, “Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose”. The purpose of the Summit was to bring together countries of the global south and share perspectives and priorities on a common platform across a wide range of issues. 125 developing countries participated in the summit. The discussion highlighted many countries’ desire for reform of international bodies for more balanced representation.

Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons –

Hiroshima is the hometown of the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumia Kishida, and is known throughout the world as the first city to be hit by a nuclear weapon. The 1945 bombing helped end World War II but devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands of civilians. Kishida’s choice of venue reflects his determination to put nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation at the top of the summit’s agenda.

• A path to nuclear disarmament has appeared more difficult with Russia’s recent nuclear weapons threats in Ukraine, as well as North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile tests and Iran’s expansion of its nuclear programme.
• China’s accelerating build-up of its nuclear arsenal without transparency or meaningful dialogue poses a concern to global and regional security.
• The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) must be upheld as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

QUAD Leaders Meeting –

The four QUAD leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. Australia, India, Japan and the United States share a vision for an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is governed by accepted rules and norms.  Every year, the four Quad Leaders meet to discuss the region’s most pressing challenges and advance the Quad’s positive and practical agenda.

• The leaders condemned the Russia-Ukraine war and its serious impact on the global economic system including food, fuel, energy security and critical supply chains. Expressing deep concern over the continuing war in Ukraine, leaders of the Quad countries said that they “mourn” its consequences, and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
• In a clear message to Beijing, though without naming it, the Quad leaders resolved to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain and strongly opposed destabilising or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.
• The leaders also announced the evolution of the Quad Vaccine Partnership into a broader Quad health security partnership. Through this partnership, the Quad will strengthen coordination and collaboration in support of health security in the Indo-Pacific.

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