The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will take part in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom, from December 10 to December 12, 2021.
This will be the second such meeting in 2021, and the first for Ministers Joly and Sajjan in their new roles. It will serve as an opportunity to continue to make progress together on several pressing international development and foreign policy challenges.
Ministers Joly and Sajjan will look to align Canadian efforts with likeminded partners on a number of priorities, including increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines, advancing gender equality, and supporting global economic growth. They will also discuss coordinated responses to threats to human rights and democracy; these discussions will include efforts to deter and end arbitrary detention for leverage in the context of diplomatic relations. G7 Ministers will also exchange views on pressing geopolitical issues, including Afghanistan, China, Ethiopia, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Sudan and Ukraine.
The ministers will have the opportunity to engage with many of their counterparts, in-person and virtually, including ministers from Australia, India, and the Republic of Korea along with representatives from many countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who have been invited as guests to join parts of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting.
As the host country, the United Kingdom will implement strict COVID-19 health measures, including social distancing and daily testing to ensure the health and wellbeing of all staff and attendees. Ministers Joly and Sajjan and Canadian delegates will follow all applicable health and safety protocols and adhere to any quarantine requirements upon their return to Canada.
Quotes
"This meeting with G7 partners and guests will allow us to continue working towards a coordinated worldwide response to the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19. I look forward to having important discussions with my colleagues and seeking real solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time."
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Global problems demand global solutions. During my first trip as Canada's minister of international development, I look forward to working together with G7 colleagues to address critical issues, including equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide."
- Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
Quick facts
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The G7 is an informal group of like-minded partners that brings together Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
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The G7 dates back to the mid-1970s, and the G7 presidency, which rotates annually between member countries, sets the agenda for the year in consultation with G7 partners. The United Kingdom has held the presidency in 2021 and Germany will assume the presidency for 2022. Canada last held the presidency in 2018.
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This second ever G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting offers its members a unique forum where they can develop coordinated approaches through open and honest discussions on issues related to foreign affairs, international development, and international security.
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G7 foreign and development ministers last met in-person and virtually in May, 2021.
