by Guy Faulconbridge and Steve Holland
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Group of Seven (G7) will seek to show the world at a summit this week that the West is still working together to tackle major crises by donating hundreds of millions of Covid-19 vaccines to poor countries. and promise to slow climate change.
US President Joe Biden, on his first foreign trip since taking office, will attempt to use the dome in the English coastal village of Corbys Bay to shore up his multilateral credentials following the turmoil of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Whether dealing with COVID-19 or climate change, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US want to show that the West can counter the power of China and the assertiveness of Russia.
“This is a defining question of our times: Can democracies unite to deliver real results for our people in a rapidly changing world?” asked Biden, 78, in an op-ed in the Washington Post.
“Will the democratic alliances and institutions that have shaped the last century prove their mettle against modern threats and adversaries? I believe the answer is yes.”
Over the weekend, G7 finance ministers reached an agreement on a global minimum tax on corporations, which US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said reflects the leadership’s willingness to work together.
“It shows that multilateral cooperation can be successful,” Yellen said.
(Poor Guy Faulconbridge)
