I. Preamble

1. We, the Foreign and Development Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7), and the High Representative of the European Union, are meeting today at a critical juncture for our people, our planet, our security and our future prosperity. Democracy is under pressure globally; the pandemic continues to pose acute global challenges; new technological threats are mounting; and the catastrophic effects of climate change are increasing. We commit to strengthening open societies, shared values, and the rules-based international order. We affirm that free and fair trade, and the free and secure flow of capital, data, knowledge, ideas and talent is essential to our long-term prosperity. We affirm that liberal democracy and free and fair markets remain the best models for inclusive, sustainable social and economic advancement. We commit to tackling threats jointly and committing our resources to achieve shared security. We will promote respect for, and protect, human rights for all individuals, regardless of where they live and whatever their identity, faith, gender, disability or race. We commit to working with the international community to further advance gender equality; and reaffirm the importance of focusing on educating girls, empowering women, and ending violence against women and girls.

2. We affirm the need to take collective action on the most pressing foreign and security challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored that global challenges require global collaboration. We reaffirm that investments in health systems will strengthen economic growth and our ability to respond to future pandemic threats. We reaffirm our commitment to working with developing partner countries, especially in Africa, to achieve a green, inclusive and sustainable recovery from COVID-19, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, including urgent equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. We commit to supporting developing partner countries to tackle and prevent the interlinked threats of conflict, climate change, poverty, food insecurity, and the health, humanitarian, human rights and economic effects of COVID-19; and building back better so that we are more prepared for future pandemics. We are deeply concerned that the pandemic has further set back progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We commit to making increased efforts towards achieving the SDGs by 2030, and commit to ensuring that no-one is left behind.

3. We commit to renewing global cooperation, including strengthened G7-Africa partnerships and greater engagement in the Indo-Pacific. We welcome Australia, India, the Republic of Korea and South Africa to the Foreign and Development Ministers’ meeting as guest countries to take forward shared priorities ahead of these countries’ participation in the G7 Leaders’ Summit in June. We welcome the involvement of the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in our discussions.

II. Foreign and security policy

Myanmar

21. We condemn in the strongest terms the military coup in Myanmar. We call upon the military immediately to end the state of emergency, restore power to the democratically-elected government and to release all those arbitrarily detained, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, human rights defenders, journalists, civil society members, academics, teachers, medical staff, religious leaders and foreign nationals. We condemn the violence committed by Myanmar’s security forces and their violent repression of peaceful protesters. The military and the police must immediately cease the violence, exercise utmost restraint and respect international law, including international human rights law. Those responsible for violations and abuses of human rights and international human rights law must be held accountable.

22. We call on the military to restore Myanmar to the path to democracy. We reiterate our solidarity with all those advocating for and working towards an inclusive democracy. This includes efforts by the Committee Representing the Union Parliament (CRPH) and other pro-democracy leaders, along with the National Unity Government (NUG), the civil disobedience movement and others. We welcome the 24 April ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta and the leadership of the ASEAN Chair to bring parties together towards resolution of the crisis in Myanmar. We welcome the consensus on the need for immediate cessation of violence; commencement of constructive dialogue among all parties concerned; the appointment of a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair to facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, who must be able to engage all parties in Myanmar; ASEAN humanitarian assistance; and a visit to Myanmar by the Special Envoy. We are committed to constructively supporting ASEAN’s efforts including the work of the ASEAN Special Envoy, and we urge implementation as soon as possible. We reiterate our support for the ongoing dialogue efforts undertaken by the Myanmar Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General and her efforts with all parties.

23. We are deeply concerned at the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar since the coup. We stress the importance of all people in need, including Rohingya and other minority groups, having rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance and reiterate our demand that the military grant immediate and unrestricted access to the UN to meet the critical needs of vulnerable populations. We call on the military junta to respect the safety of medical facilities and staff. We stress the need for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees from Bangladesh and elsewhere in the region, and those internally displaced within Myanmar, when conditions allow. We continue to advocate for the rights and protection of persons belonging to minority groups.

24. We reiterate our readiness to take further steps if the military does not reverse its course. In that regard we commit to continuing to prevent the supply, sale or transfer of all weapons, munitions, and other military-related equipment to Myanmar and the supply of technical cooperation. We commit to exercise due diligence in conducting business relationships with military-affiliated conglomerates, and call on others to do likewise. We will also cooperate to prevent our development aid from supporting the military-led regime and to ensure it benefits the people of Myanmar, especially those who are most in need in accordance with humanitarian principles. We call on all states to adopt similar measures.

Read the full Policy paper on original page.