G7 foreign Ministers meet

G7 foreign Ministers meet

Subject: International Organizations

Context: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, in what was their second meeting after they met on May 3 on the sidelines of the G-7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in London.

Concept:

About G7

• It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975.
• The bloc meets annually to discuss issues of common interest like global economic governance, international security and energy policy.
• The G7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters. The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding.
• The groundwork for the summit, including matters to be discussed and follow-up meetings, is done by the “sherpas”, who are generally personal representatives or members of diplomatic staff such as ambassadors.
• The leaders of important international organizations like European Union, IMF, World Bank and the United Nations are also invited.

Issues:

• Not all of the G7 countries are among the most advanced now. India is both a military and economic giant but isn’t part of the G7.
• So, its expansion, just like that of the United Nations Security Council, is called for.