PM invited to G7 Summit in Canada

Desk Report: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been invited by her Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau to join a session of the 44th G7 Summit.

The Group of Seven (G7) summit will be held on June 8 and 9, 2018, in La Malbaie, Quebec in Canada.

Trudeau on Friday announced that Canada will welcome the Bangladesh premier and 15 other world leaders and heads of international organisations to a special outreach session of the G7 Summit on June 9.

The session will focus on healthy oceans and resilient coastal communities, according to a release of Canada PM’s official website.

The world leaders and heads of international organisaions invited to the special outreach session of the G7 Summit on June 9 are: Mauricio Macri, president of Argentina and Chair of the G20; Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh; Jovenel Moise, president of Haiti and chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Andrew Holness, prime minister of Jamaica; Uhuru Kenyatta, president of Kenya; Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands; Erna Solberg, prime minister of Norway; Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda and chair of the African Union; Macky Sall, president of Senegal; Danny Faure, president of Seychelles; Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa; Nguyen Xuan Phuc, prime minister of Vietnam; Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; Jose Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations; and Kristalina Georgieva, chief executive officer of the World Bank.

“These leaders and heads of international organizations will meet with G7 leaders to discuss how to build resilient coasts and communities, share ocean knowledge and science, and support sustainable oceans and fisheries,” the news release said.

They will also explore how to best address pressing challenges, including “plastics in our oceans and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” it added.

“Our oceans and coasts are under considerable threat – from increases in plastic pollution, more frequent and severe weather events, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Resilient coastal communities and healthy oceans are vital to growing economies that work for everyone and that is why we are committed to working with others to protect the world’s oceans,” the release said, quoting Trudeau.

It said Canada is committed to working with others in the G7 and beyond to strengthen resilience, fight climate change, and protect our oceans for generations to come.

“As with all work under Canada’s G7 presidency, these discussions will include a focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment,” the release said.

The Group of Seven or G7 is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Having the seven largest advanced economies in the world, these countries represent 62% of global net wealth ($280 trillion), 46% of global nominal GDP evaluated at market exchange rates, and 32% of global purchasing-power parity GDP.

The attendees of the 44th G7 Summit will include the leaders of the seven G7 member states as well as representatives of the European Union. The President of the European Commission has been a permanently welcome participant in all meetings and decision-making since 1981. _BSS
 

risingbd/Dhaka/June 03, 2018/A K Azad