49th G7 summit


The 49th G7 summit was held from 19 to 21 May 2023 in the city of Hiroshima in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Leaders of G7 countries joined in Hiroshima to discuss a number of challenges to peace and prosperity facing the global order while consulting with invited guests. The issues discussed included the Russian invasion of Ukraine and effects on the international order, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other geopolitical crises. To resolve these issues, the G7 pledged to uphold the free and open international order based on "the rule of law", and strengthened the G7's outreach to emerging and developing countries.
The long invitees list reflects attempts to influence the "Global South", a term used for developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, all of which have complex political and economic ties to both Russia and China.
Many geopolitical commentators remarked that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received much attention and dominated the summit, and that the Hiroshima summit achieved many objectives.
The leaders' communiqué featured commitments and statements on a range of topics including climate, health, food security, and technology. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nuclear nonproliferation, and economic security were the most prominent. Other five standalone statements were issued.
In not one but two statements, the G7 made clear to China their stance on divisive geopolitical hot spots such as the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan, but the most important part of their message centered on what they called "economic coercion".

Leaders at the summit

Background

All G7 member states participated, including the representatives of the European Union. International organizations, such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization were also in attendance.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, G7 member states heavily sanctioned Russia, which was a member until 2014, with some arming the Ukrainian military with weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to a virtual summit meeting of G7 leaders, which was held on 24 February 2023, the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Japan held the presidency of the G7 for 2023, and in an attempt to reach to the "Global South" of nations, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida invited the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam. All nations accepted the invitations, with India hosting the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit.
The 2023 summit was the first summit for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Participants and representatives

Invited leaders

Schedule and agenda

19 May 2023

  • Visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Japanese Prime Minister Kishida welcomed G7 leaders at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and kicked off the three-day summit. The leaders observed "Memorial Museum for Soldiers, Detainees in Siberia, and Postwar Repatriates", and attended two ceremonies, Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims and Tree-Planting Ceremony.
  • Session 1 : Toward an International Community Characterized by Cooperation, not Division and Confrontation / Global Economy
  1. The G7 leaders agreed on the importance of setting two pillars, "upholding the free and open international order based on the rule of law" and strengthening outreach with international partners beyond the G7.
  2. Regarding global economy: The G7 leaders concurred on the importance of close coordination among the G7 as well as the cooperation with international partners towards transition to clean energy economy, reduction of dependency on specific countries, and the making of reliable supply chains.
  3. Regarding digital: The leaders will have ministers in charge discuss generative AI as "Hiroshima AI process", and have them report the results before the end of this year. It is reported that G7 leaders called for the formulation of "guardrails" around the development of artificial intelligence. And Japan asked for the G7's cooperation toward the early establishment of an international framework based on an agreement at the ministerial level to materialize Data Free Flow with Trust.
  4. Regarding trade: The G7 leaders concurred on the necessity to work toward maintaining and strengthening the free and fair trade system, including WTO reform.
  • Session 2: Ukraine "G7 Leaders' Statement on Ukraine" which includes export control issues was issued.
  • Move to Itsukushima and visit to Itsukushima Shrine
  • Session 3 : Foreign and Security Policy
  1. The chair Kishida stated that it is essential to show the G7's strong will "to uphold the free and open international order based on the rule of law".
  2. The G7 leaders reaffirmed that the G7 will continue to closely work together in responding to issues related to China as well as North Korea.
  3. Regarding nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation: The G7's commitment to a "world without nuclear weapons" was reaffirmed, and "G7 Leaders' Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament" was issued.

    20 May 2023

  • Session 4: Strengthening engagement with partners
  1. The chair Kishida discussed the importance of strengthening engagement with emerging and developing countries, including the global south, and to take an approach to respond carefully to various needs that those countries face.
  2. Kishida stated his hope to support G20 on international issues such as food, development and health, and to connect the outcome of the G7 to the cooperation with the G20.
  3. The G7 leaders agreed on the following items:
  4. # Share the importance of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and "the rule of law" that the international society should stand by with international partners
  5. # Respond carefully to various needs of emerging and developing countries regarding challenges such as poverty, energy trandition and finance, by such means as establishment of value chains that enable developing countries to carry out processing locally, support through Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, efforts to fill the development finance gap
  6. # Support India on chairing 2023 G20 New Delhi summit
  • Session 5 : Economic resilience and economic security
  1. Economic security was discussed for the first time as the agenda.
  2. The G7 leaders affirmed that the G7 will be united in responding to the following issues:
  3. # Enhancing resilience of supply chain and critical infrastructure
  4. # Strengthening our response to non-market policy and practice and economic coercion
  5. # Appropriately managing critical and emerging technologies
  6. The G7 Leaders also discussed on the opportunities and challenges that AI brings.
  7. Based on the discussion, "G7 Leaders' Statement on Economic Resilience and Economic Security" was issued.
  8. Based on the discussion, "Clean Energy Economic Action Plan" was also issued.
  • Meet and join with the outreach countries and international organizations
  • Session 6: Working Together to Address Multiple Crises File:20230521g7summit heiwa09.jpg|thumb|Japanese Prime Minister Kishida with the leaders of outreach nations.
  1. The chair Kishida touched upon the importance of coordinated response to multiple crises that the world is facing.
  2. Regarding development:
    The participants reaffirmed that they will advance their efforts toward the achievement of the SDGs, and expressed their expectations for promoting concrete investment under the "Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment " and various reforms including the reform of Multilateral Development Banks. They concurred on the importance of transparent and fair development finance and the necessity of accelerating the response to debt issues.
  3. Regarding food:
    The participants shared the view that it is of urgent importance to respond to immediate food crisis and establish resilient food security, and concurred on issuing the "Hiroshima Action Statement for Resilient Global Food Security".
  4. Regarding health:
    The chair Kishida touched upon the importance of leader-level governance and international norm setting for structuring and strengthening the Global Health Architecture as well as a perspective of "soft governance" as gentle coordination among existing organizations, among others. He also explained about the launch of the MCM Delivery Partnership for equitable access based on the principles set out in the "G7 Hiroshima Vision for Equitable Access to Medical Countermeasures", and called on the participants to cooperate with the partnership. They confirmed that they will continue to advance the efforts toward the goals including the achievement of the Universal Health Coverage.
  5. Regarding gender:
    Kishida emphasized the importance of substantively coordinating several efforts, and the participating countries and organizations gave their accent to the idea.
  6. Additions:
    The participants confirmed that they will tackle the challenges related to trade including the WTO reform.
  • Side event: Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment
    Three documents including "Factsheet on the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment" were issued.
  • Issuance of "G7 Hiroshima Leaders' Communiqué"
    The Leaders' communiqué pointing to specific international law was issued one day earlier than customary practice.
  • Session 7: Common Endeavor for a Resilient and Sustainable Planet
  1. The chair Kishida touched upon the importance of discussing the global issues of climate change, energy and environment in an integrated manner.
  2. Regarding climate change and energy:
  3. # The participants confirmed that it is necessary to holistically tackle the challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, pollution and others.
  4. # The participants confirmed that it is also necessary to work together as the response to "climate crisis" is an urgent task for all over the world.
  5. # The participants shared the importance of pursuing the common goal of net zero in various pathways that maximally introduce utilizing renewable energy and energy-saving technologies in accordance with each country's situation in order not to hinder economic growth, with the understanding of energy security, climate crisis and geopolitical risks in an integrated manner.
  6. # The participants shared the necessity of enhancing supply chain resilience of clean energy devices and critical minerals vital for clean energy transition.
  7. # The participants concurred that the assistance that leaves no countries or people vulnerable to climate change by mobilizing climate finance.
  8. Regarding environment:
    The participants reaffirmed that they will strengthen cooperation for advancing concrete efforts on addressing plastic pollution, protecting biodiversity, protecting forests, and addressing marine pollution.
  9. Conclusion:
    Based on these shared understandings, Kishida stated that he would like to implement today's discussion to further actions on various occasions such as COP 28.
  • Social Dinner