AIR Discussions (May 1St Week)
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AIR Discussions (May 1st Week) AIR SPOTLIGHT SUMMARY: G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting CONTEXT: . A meeting between G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ was held recently in London. India was also invited. Australia, Republic of Korea, ASEAN and South Africa were other guest countries and groups. The United Kingdom has invited Indian Prime Minister as a guest to attend the 47th G7 summit that is scheduled to be held in June 2021. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING: Challenges: . Democracy is under pressure globally; . Pandemic continues to pose acute global challenges; . New technological threats are mounting; and . The catastrophic effects of climate change are increasing. Commitments: . Strengthening open societies, shared values, and the rules-based international order. Affirm that free and fair trade, and the free and secure flow of capital, data, knowledge, ideas and talent is essential to long-term prosperity. Affirm that liberal democracy and free and fair markets remain the best models for inclusive, sustainable social and economic advancement. Commit to tackling threats jointly and committing resources to achieve shared security. Will promote respect for, and protect, human rights for all individuals, regardless of where they live and whatever their identity, faith, gender, disability or race. Commit to working with the international community to further advance gender equality; and reaffirm the importance of focusing on educating girls, empowering women, and ending violence against women and girls. Affirm the need to take collective action on the most pressing foreign and security challenges. Commitment to working with developing partner countries, especially in Africa, to achieve a green, inclusive and sustainable recovery from COVID-19, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Commit to supporting developing partner countries to tackle and prevent the interlinked threats of conflict, climate change, poverty, food insecurity, and the health, humanitarian, human rights and economic effects of COVID-19; and building back better. Commit to renewing global cooperation, including strengthened G7-Africa partnerships and greater engagement in the Indo-Pacific. Foreign and security policy . Russia: G7 is deeply concerned that the negative pattern of Russia’s irresponsible and destabilising behaviour continues- the large build-up of Russian military forces on Ukraine’s borders and in illegally-annexed Crimea, its malign activities aimed at undermining other countries’ democratic systems, its malicious cyber activity, and use of disinformation. G7 reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders including its territorial waters. G7 is deeply concerned about the political and human rights crisis following the fraudulent August 2020 presidential election in Belarus. © APTI PLUS ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES . G7 reaffirmed support for the centrality of ASEAN and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and commit to explore concrete cooperation in line with the Outlook. It reiterated the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. It called upon China, as a major power and economy with advanced technological capability, to participate constructively in the rules-based international system and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. G7 remain gravely concerned by China’s decision fundamentally to erode democratic elements of the electoral system in Hong Kong. G7 remain gravely concerned about the documented accounts of human rights violations and abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and called on DPRK to refrain from provocative actions and to engage in a diplomatic process with the explicit goal of denuclearisation. G7 condemned in the strongest terms the military coup in Myanmar. Afghanistan: A sustainable, inclusive political settlement is the only way to achieve a just and durable peace that benefits all Afghans. It also talked about situation in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iran and various African countries. Other themes that were discussed: . Maritime security: promoting a cooperative system of international governance for the ocean and seas and to maintaining the rules-based maritime order based on international law. Non-proliferation and disarmament: essential role of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear technology. Open societies: all people can benefit from a more open world, where democracy, respect for human rights, effective and accountable governance, and the rule of law can thrive. Media freedom . Internet shutdowns: concerned about actions by states to intentionally disrupt their own populations’ access to, or dissemination of, information, knowledge, and data online. Cyber governance: commit to work together to further a common understanding of how existing international law applies to cyberspace. Freedom of religion or belief . Rapid Response Mechanism as part of our ongoing shared efforts to defend democratic systems and Open Societies from foreign malign activity. Arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations are contrary to international human rights law. Commitment to achieving an inclusive and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for all and enabling equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics . Development finance: will take concrete action to address priority development finance challenges. GROUP OF SEVEN (G-7) The G-7 or ‘Group of Seven’ are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975 by the top economies of the time as an informal forum to discuss pressing world issues. Canada joined the group in 1976, and the European Union began attending in 1977. Initially formed as an effort by the US and its allies to discuss economic issues, the G-7 forum has deliberated about several challenges over the decades, such as the oil crashes of the 1970s, the economic changeover of ex-Soviet bloc nations, and many pressing issues such as financial crises, terrorism, arms control, and drug trafficking. The G-7 was known as the ‘G-8’ for several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997. © APTI PLUS ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES The Group returned to being called G-7 after Russia was expelled as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine. The G-7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters. The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding. The rise of India, China, and Brazil over the past few decades has reduced the G-7’s relevance, whose share in global GDP has now fallen to around 40%. The G-7 nations meet at annual summits that are presided over by leaders of member countries on a rotational basis. The summit is an informal gathering that lasts two days, in which leaders of member countries discuss a wide range of global issues. The host country typically gets to invite dignitaries from outside the G-7 to attend the Summit. G-20 The G-20 is a larger group of countries, which also includes G7 members. The G-20 was formed in 1999, in response to a felt need to bring more countries on board to address global economic concerns. Apart from the G-7 countries, the G-20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey. Together, the G-20 countries make up around 80% of the world’s economy. Deliberations at the G-20 are confined to those concerning the global economy and financial markets. India is slated to host a G-20 summit in 2022. GROUP OF TEN The Group of Ten (G10) refers to the group of countries that have agreed to participate in the General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB), a supplementary borrowing arrangement that can be invoked if the IMF’s resources are estimated to be below a member’s needs. The G10 was also the forum for discussions that led to the December 1971 Smithsonian Agreement following the collapse of the Bretton Woods system. G10: Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, United States, Japan GROUP OF FIFTEEN It was established at the Ninth Non-Aligned Summit Meeting in Belgrade, then Yugoslavia, in September 1989. It is composed of countries from Latin America, Africa, and Asia with a common goal of enhanced growth and prosperity. The G15 focuses on cooperation among developing countries in the areas of investment, trade, and technology. The membership of the G15 has since expanded to 17 countries but the name has remained unchanged. G15 Members: Algeria, Indonesia, Nigeria, Argentina, Iran, Islamic Republic of Senegal, Brazil, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Chile, Kenya, Venezuela, Egypt, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, India, Mexico © APTI PLUS ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES G24 Originally a chapter of the G77, was established in 1971 to coordinate the positions of emerging markets and developing countries on international monetary and development finance issues and to ensure that their interests were adequately represented at the Bretton Woods Institutions, particularly in the IMFC and Development Committee meetings of the IMF and World Bank. The group—officially called the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development—is