The G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting (22-24 October 2024) kicks off today in Pescara, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani.
Deputy Prime Minister Tajani said: “We are ready to kick off the third G7 Ministerial Meeting falling under the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Development cooperation is an extraordinary tool for peace, growth and stability – issues that we have placed at the heart of the Italian G7 Presidency.” He concluded: ”‘It will be three intense and structured days of work, which will enable us to discuss global challenges with our G7 partners, various guest countries, the private sector, and international organisations.”
With regard to the topics that will be addressed during the Ministerial Meeting, there will be three main strands of work: food security and sustainable agri-food systems; infrastructure and sustainable investment; global health.
The first day’s works will open with a Humanitarian Conference on the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, aimed at coordinating joint action to ensure humanitarian access to Gaza – also thanks to the Italian “Food for Gaza” initiative – and to the Lebanon. In addition to the G7 countries, representatives from the countries of the region (Lebanon, Israel, Palestine) and the international organisations UNHCR, UNDP, WFP, FICROSS, IFAD and FAO will be present.
At the end of the day there will be an event organised by Minister Tajani with the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, dedicated to sport as a tool for development, especially in Africa, with the presence of athletes Letsile Tebogo and Lorenzo Simonelli.
During the second day, Minister Tajani will open a session focused on the topic of food security to discuss the food system, climate and water, as well as child malnutrition – in which Uganda and the African Union will also take part – and another dedicated to coffee value chains, in which representatives of producing countries, international organisations, and the private sector will also be involved.
In the afternoon the focus will shift to global infrastructure and investment, with an ad hoc session aimed at assessing projects with high transformative potential for Africa, to be implemented in synergy with the Mattei Plan and the Global Gateway launched by the EU. At the end of the day, the Minister will chair an event dedicated to Italian missionaries, designed to enhance their contribution to the sustainable development of local populations and strengthen education and training opportunities.
On the last day, Deputy Prime Minister Tajani will chair a session dedicated to the topic of global health, also with the participation of GAVI and WHO, for an exchange of views with the main companies in the health sector, during which investment in health infrastructure and the improvement of access to and distribution of prevention tools in Africa will be discussed.
On the same days of the G7 Meeting, an installation dedicated to the #InsiemepergliSDGs campaign of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also be set up in Pescara.
Minister Tajani’s closing press conference will be held on Thursday 24 October at the end of works.
