Final G7 statement highlights support for Ukraine and concern for Gaza

The G7 leaders released on Friday night (June 14, 2024) the final declaration of the 2024 summit, held in Puglia, Italy, between the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. They highlighted the situation in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, as well as emphasizing the importance of human rights and migration. Read the full text.

Below, read the highlights:

• Gaza Strip — the statement expressed “deep concern” with Israel’s operations in Rafah, calling on the Israeli government to avoid a large-scale military offensive due to “disastrous consequences for civilians”. He recognized Israel’s right to self-defense after the Hamas attack on October 7, but demanded that the country comply with international law to guarantee humanitarian aid in the region. He also endorsed the ceasefire proposal presented by US President Joe Biden and supported by the UN Security Council;
• Ukraine — the G7 promised a $50 billion loan, financed by profits from frozen Russian assets. The leaders reaffirmed the “unwavering support for Ukraine” for the “as long as it takes” and pledged to continue providing military, financial and humanitarian support for the reconstruction of the Eastern European country. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who participated as a guest, argued that discussions on peace in Ukraine must include Russian participation;
• Migration — G7 members approved the launch of a coalition to combat migrant trafficking, emphasizing the importance of cooperation on migration issues;
• Climate and environment — the declaration also addressed efforts to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, protect global food security, support energy and infrastructure solutions for African countries, and promote actions to achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals);
• AI (Artificial Intelligence) — the launch of an action plan for the use of artificial intelligence in the world of work and the implementation of the International Code of Conduct for Organizations that Develop Advanced AI Systems were promised. The theme was central in Pope Francis’ speech during the summit, which warned about the risk of human beings becoming an algorithm.

The summit, which had the unprecedented presence of Pope Francis and was chaired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, did not directly address the rights of the LGBTQIA+ population or the right to abortion.

The biggest opponent of mentioning abortion in the final document was Meloni. Her government did not reverse the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy in Italy, but supported a bill, approved in April, that allows anti-abortion groups access to family planning clinics.

However, the statement emphasized the group’s commitment to gender equity, expressing concern about the rollback of the rights of women, girls and LGBTQIA+ people around the world.