May 27, 2017 — As the G7 summit is over in Taormina, the G7 leaders have agreed on a final communique.

Friederike Röder, director at ONE and G7 spokesperson for the organisation, said:

“In a year of greatly-diminished expectations, the G7 have managed to set a new low.  The early promise of this summit was crushed by the Trump Administration’s hostile negotiating posture and the evident lack of ambition of other leaders.

The G7 would be wise not to sell their final statement as a success just because of the last-minute agreement checking the box with words such as ‘famine’, ‘gender’ or ‘sustainable development’. Only real investments can save lives and safeguard our common future, not words.”

Friederike Röder also added:

“G7 summits are rarely perfect, but they often at least move the ball down the pitch. 

The G7 leaders didn’t agree on any real investments to fight famine or extreme poverty despite last night’s statement on the fight against terrorism which stated the need to address ‘the lack of social and economic inclusiveness and opportunities’ across the world.

World leaders need to choose on which side of history they want to stand. Where the G7 didn’t deliver, the G20 now need to prove that they’re still capable of taking action.

Prime Minister Trudeau must also show rapid leadership to ensure the G7 doesn’t die altogether – by ensuring that though his G7 in Quebec is far further away from Africa it is nearer in terms of real action. ”

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Note to editors:

ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organization of nearly 8 million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Not politically partisan, we raise public awareness and press political leaders to combat AIDS and preventable diseases, increase investments in agriculture and nutrition, and demand greater transparency in poverty-fighting programmes. Read more at www.one.org.

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Contacts

ONE will be present at Taormina, and Friederike Röder will be available for briefings and interviews.

At the Summit: Annabel Hervieu – [email protected] – + 33 6 31 22 89 68