UN: G7 has particular responsibility for global challenges

The United Nations address during the G7 Summit in Italy will focus on the bloc's particular responsibility for such challenges as climate change, the spread of conflicts or economic inequalities.

During a recent press conference prior to the Summit, UN Secretary General António Guterres insisted on the important role of the most powerful countries and the need to increase their commitment in a plan plagued by crises and disagreements.

Guterres called on the G7 to commit to ending coal-based energy by 2030 and act on the international financial architecture, which he described as obsolete, dysfunctional and unfair.

In addition, he called to address the overrepresentation of the rich while the poor are neglected, and to act urgently on artificial intelligence, a central issue of current governance that is also included in the Summit’s agenda.

Guterres’ proposal is not far from the topics planned for the Summit, which also announces debates on the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, relations with developing countries and emerging economies, as well as artificial intelligence and migration.

However, the approach may not gain all the ground it demands at a key moment for humanity as polarization, lack of financing, the climate crisis or the expansion of conflicts threaten its founding objectives.

The organization itself demanded more action on the part of the G7 to prevent man-made famine due to the dramatic increase in wars and their consequences on civilian populations.

A statement from the United Nations Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths recalled that half of the population of Gaza – more than one million people – might face death and hunger by mid-July as a result of Israel’s offensive.

Meanwhile, in Sudan, at least five million people are on the brink of famine, including in the war-torn areas of Aj Jazirah, Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan.

While wars fuel hunger in too many corners of the world, from Mali to Myanmar, nowhere is the choice between inaction and oblivion as clear as in Gaza and Sudan, Griffiths warned in a statement.

“The G7 countries must immediately leverage their significant political influence and financial resources so that aid organizations can reach all people in need,” he noted.

“We must move large amounts of humanitarian assistance across borders and battle lines and mobilize significant funding to sustain the response tomorrow,” he said, adding that “(…) it is time to prioritize the diplomacy that will give people their future back.”