turn: the leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations are turning their attention to Migration On the second day of their summit on Friday, they explored ways to combat human trafficking and smuggling. Investment The gathering, held at a luxury resort in Italy’s southern Puglia region, is also discussing financial aid for Ukraine, the war in Gaza, artificial intelligence and climate change, as well as China’s industrial policy and economic security, among other hot topics.
But some differences also emerged over the wording of the summit’s final declaration, with disagreement reported over the inclusion of a reference to abortion.
Migration is a topic of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Right-wing Italian Prime Minister Georgia MelonieKnown for her tough stance on the issue, she has been keen to increase investment and funding to African countries as a means of easing migrant pressure on Europe.
“Italy wants to give enough space to another continent that is fundamental for the future of all of us: Africa, which has difficulties, but also opportunities,” Meloni said at the opening of the summit on Thursday.
“Another fundamental issue linked to Africa, and not only to Africa, which Italy has placed at the centre of its presidency is the issue of migration, the increasingly worrying role of human trafficking organisations, which are clearly taking advantage of human desperation,” he said.
Meloni struck a controversial five-year deal with neighboring Albania under which the Balkan country will take in thousands of refugees while Italy processes their claims. He has also spearheaded the “Mattei Plan” for Africa, a continent-wide strategy to boost economic opportunities at home and discourage migration to Europe.
According to UNHCR data, more than 22,000 people have reached Italy by sea so far in 2024. In 2023, more than 157,000 arrived, and nearly 2,000 people died or went missing while trying to make the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean.
The United States is also grappling with a rising number of migrants at its southern border. President Joe Biden introduced new policies to curb migration after a bill to stop it failed to pass Congress.
However, immigrant rights advocates filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the new policies, and it is unclear whether they will be able to withstand legal challenges in U.S. courts.
Arriving at the summit, European Council President Charles Michel said tackling migration was “a common challenge.”
“This is the path we want to build with our allies: this coalition to fight against traffickers, against criminal groups who are abusing (vulnerable people) to make money and destabilize regions and countries around the world,” he said.
In addition to G-7 countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Italian hosts have also invited several African leaders – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kenyan President William Ruto and Tunisian President Kais Saied – to highlight Meloni’s migration and development initiatives.
Pope Francis will also become the first Pope to address the G7 summit on Friday, delivering a speech on artificial intelligence. Other invitees include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The summit began on Thursday with a strong show of support for Kiev: a US proposal to support a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using Russia’s frozen assets as collateral was agreed. Biden also signed a bilateral security agreement with Zelensky on Thursday evening, aimed at signaling to Russia the US resolve to support Kiev.
Describing it as a “truly historic day”, Zelensky said the agreement was “on the protection of security and thus on the protection of human lives”.
but some cracks appeared G7 leaderswith French President Emmanuel long mark Regret was expressed over the lack of mention of abortion in the draft of the summit’s final document.
The statement issued following last year’s summit in Hiroshima, Japan, expressed commitment to providing women and girls with access to safe and legal abortion, and pledged to protect gender equality and the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community.
But Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing a draft of this year’s communiqué, said on Thursday that the final document made no reference to abortion.
Macron, responding to a question on the issue by an Italian journalist, said, “I regret that.” He said France has “enshrined in its constitution the right of women to abortion, the freedom to decide over their own bodies,” adding that France defends “this vision of equality between women and men.”
“This is not a point of view that all political parties share,” Macron said. “I regret it, but I respect it because it was the sovereign choice of your people.”
Meloni, who campaigned on the motto “God, Faith and Fatherland,” has denied she is seeking to end abortion rights, which have been legal in Italy since 1978. But the center-left opposition has warned her initiatives are eroding those rights, including by giving pro-life groups access to women considering abortion.
According to ANSA, this year’s text says the G7 “reiterates our commitment expressed in the G7 Final Communiqué of Hiroshima to universal, adequate and sustainable access to health services for women, including the right to reproduction.”
But some differences also emerged over the wording of the summit’s final declaration, with disagreement reported over the inclusion of a reference to abortion.
Migration is a topic of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Right-wing Italian Prime Minister Georgia MelonieKnown for her tough stance on the issue, she has been keen to increase investment and funding to African countries as a means of easing migrant pressure on Europe.
“Italy wants to give enough space to another continent that is fundamental for the future of all of us: Africa, which has difficulties, but also opportunities,” Meloni said at the opening of the summit on Thursday.
“Another fundamental issue linked to Africa, and not only to Africa, which Italy has placed at the centre of its presidency is the issue of migration, the increasingly worrying role of human trafficking organisations, which are clearly taking advantage of human desperation,” he said.
Meloni struck a controversial five-year deal with neighboring Albania under which the Balkan country will take in thousands of refugees while Italy processes their claims. He has also spearheaded the “Mattei Plan” for Africa, a continent-wide strategy to boost economic opportunities at home and discourage migration to Europe.
According to UNHCR data, more than 22,000 people have reached Italy by sea so far in 2024. In 2023, more than 157,000 arrived, and nearly 2,000 people died or went missing while trying to make the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean.
The United States is also grappling with a rising number of migrants at its southern border. President Joe Biden introduced new policies to curb migration after a bill to stop it failed to pass Congress.
However, immigrant rights advocates filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the new policies, and it is unclear whether they will be able to withstand legal challenges in U.S. courts.
Arriving at the summit, European Council President Charles Michel said tackling migration was “a common challenge.”
“This is the path we want to build with our allies: this coalition to fight against traffickers, against criminal groups who are abusing (vulnerable people) to make money and destabilize regions and countries around the world,” he said.
In addition to G-7 countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Italian hosts have also invited several African leaders – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kenyan President William Ruto and Tunisian President Kais Saied – to highlight Meloni’s migration and development initiatives.
Pope Francis will also become the first Pope to address the G7 summit on Friday, delivering a speech on artificial intelligence. Other invitees include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The summit began on Thursday with a strong show of support for Kiev: a US proposal to support a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using Russia’s frozen assets as collateral was agreed. Biden also signed a bilateral security agreement with Zelensky on Thursday evening, aimed at signaling to Russia the US resolve to support Kiev.
Describing it as a “truly historic day”, Zelensky said the agreement was “on the protection of security and thus on the protection of human lives”.
but some cracks appeared G7 leaderswith French President Emmanuel long mark Regret was expressed over the lack of mention of abortion in the draft of the summit’s final document.
The statement issued following last year’s summit in Hiroshima, Japan, expressed commitment to providing women and girls with access to safe and legal abortion, and pledged to protect gender equality and the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community.
But Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing a draft of this year’s communiqué, said on Thursday that the final document made no reference to abortion.
Macron, responding to a question on the issue by an Italian journalist, said, “I regret that.” He said France has “enshrined in its constitution the right of women to abortion, the freedom to decide over their own bodies,” adding that France defends “this vision of equality between women and men.”
“This is not a point of view that all political parties share,” Macron said. “I regret it, but I respect it because it was the sovereign choice of your people.”
Meloni, who campaigned on the motto “God, Faith and Fatherland,” has denied she is seeking to end abortion rights, which have been legal in Italy since 1978. But the center-left opposition has warned her initiatives are eroding those rights, including by giving pro-life groups access to women considering abortion.
According to ANSA, this year’s text says the G7 “reiterates our commitment expressed in the G7 Final Communiqué of Hiroshima to universal, adequate and sustainable access to health services for women, including the right to reproduction.”
