Additional aid to Ukraine, the war in Gaza and investment in Africa will dominate the agenda of the three-day forum.
Bari, Italy – G7 leaders are preparing for a three-day summit in southern Puglia to discuss the global situation.
The event kicks off on Thursday at Borgo Egnazia, a luxury resort modelled on a medieval village surrounded by olive groves and popular with celebrities including pop star Madonna.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, host of this year’s summit, is due to host the leaders of seven countries – the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom – as well as the heads of the European Council and Commission.
As the “like-minded” group seeks to shake off its reputation as an exclusive club for wealthy Western nations, Italy has invited more than 10 countries to the meeting, including UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Notable absentees were Egypt and Saudi Arabia, both of which had been invited, according to a list seen by Al Jazeera.
The timing couldn’t be better for Mr Meloni: He will preside over the summit as a rising European star after far-right victories in European elections have led to a shift to the right across the continent.
“I am proud to go to the G7 with the strongest government,” the prime minister said on his way to Puglia.
Two key national security issues will dominate the summit: Africa and the Mediterranean. Meloni is expected to expand his flagship foreign policy, the so-called Mattei Plan, which aims to position Italy as a major energy hub between Europe and the African continent, boosting African growth and ultimately curbing migration to Europe.
Aiding Ukraine is also top of the agenda; President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to arrive on the summit’s first day for two sessions dedicated to war-torn Ukraine. The G7’s most anticipated outcome is an agreement on a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, backed by profits from Russian assets frozen in the West shortly after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Italian sources told Al Jazeera that there is the political will to announce an agreement at the summit, although technical issues need to be resolved.
Such a deal would send a strong message of solidarity with Kiev at a time when Ukrainian forces are on the backfoot and Moscow is steadily gaining power in the east and north of the country, the sources said, and added urgency with the possibility of a change in the White House following the November U.S. elections.
The other session will be on the Middle East, with Israel’s Gaza war expected to be a focus of the talks. Observers say the leaders are likely to repeat past positions, from calling for Hamas to accept a ceasefire offered by U.S. President Joe Biden to acknowledging the importance of a two-state solution for peace in the region.
Among the guests will be Pope Francis, who will attend a session on artificial intelligence (AI) – the first time the pontiff has been invited to the summit – while other special sessions will cover migration, financial issues and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region.
A final statement is due to be released on Saturday – a document that typically sets out the direction the group’s members intend to follow, setting future policy and providing a window into priorities for the rest of the world.
