Minister Joly and Minister Sajjan conclude G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting

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, concluded their participation in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Throughout her program, Minister Joly reiterated the importance of the strong relationship between Canada and the G7 community and engaged with her counterparts on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Together, they presented a united front in condemning Russia’s recent destabilizing behaviour, re-committed to defending human rights and democracy, and exchanged views on the situations in Afghanistan and Ethiopia. She also reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to deter and end arbitrary detention for leverage in diplomatic relations.

Minister Sajjan engaged in key discussions focused on the international response to and recovery from the pandemic. He discussed the critical importance of increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines in support of global immunization targets and affirmed Canada’s commitment to donate the equivalent of at least 200 million doses through the COVAX Facility by the end of 2022. He engaged on the issue of promoting quality infrastructure in low and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific. The Minister also highlighted the importance of addressing gender equality in conflict settings.

During the two-day meeting, the ministers took the opportunity to meet with many of the invitees. 

Quotes

“The cooperation and leadership of the G7 remains critically important to addressing the challenges facing the international community. Canada’s message to our allies is clear: when our democracies are challenged, we are stronger and our impact is greater when we work together.”

– Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“In the face of such immense global challenges, it’s essential that Canada remains connected and engaged with our international partners. The G7 is an important avenue in which to work collaboratively to build a better world for everyone, everywhere.”

– Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

Quick facts

• 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.
• 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.
• The next G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 2022 and the G7 Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for June 2022.