G7: Italy puts itself in the right light

“The timetable was extremely flexible, but the food was exceptionally good,” said one European diplomat, describing the rather spontaneous organization of the annual G7 summit by the Italian hosts in the luxurious hotel complex of Borgo Egnazia in the southern Puglia region.

But schedule delays, waiting for shuttle buses and security checkpoints are just part of such meetings for the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, which included the United States, Canada, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.

The consultation program was packed for their leaders, along with EU representatives and 12 other leaders from countries such as India, Brazil and Turkey, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Pope Francis. Both the pontiff and US President Joe Biden were in high demand, in addition to the multiple bilateral meetings in a relaxed setting that are so important to such summits.

The 20 guests at the Borgo Egnazia luxury hotel during the G7 summitThe 20 guests at the Borgo Egnazia luxury hotel during the G7 summit

The obligatory summit declaration, on the other hand, was 36 pages long and contained a long list of political declarations of intent on every conceivable crisis area and policy field, from climate protection and the digitalization of the economy to higher taxes for the rich.