STRENGTHENING THE G7 SYSTEM //
level. This approach is particularly relevant in the current geopolitical climate, where direct engagement with the US administration on contentious economic issues may yield limited progress. Instead, a strategy centred on fostering ministerial collaboration can help maintain diplomatic cohesion without directly challenging US leadership. practical advantage in ensuring that commitments translate into actionable policies. By engaging in pre-summit discussions, ministers can identify potential implementation hurdles, develop coordination mechanisms and align domestic policies with international commitments. This preparatory work strengthens the foundations for compliance, ensuring that summit declarations are not merely rhetorical but are accompanied by concrete policy initiatives. A TARGETED APPROACH In particular, the role of ministerial meetings is critical in addressing issues where compliance may be at risk. If predictions suggest lower performance on health-related commitments, for example, targeted pre-summit ministerial meetings on global health Beyond mitigating tensions, ministerial meetings offer a
initiatives could serve as a mechanism for ensuring greater alignment among members. By fostering early consensus, these meetings increase the likelihood that health-related initiatives receive the necessary resources and political commitment to be effectively implemented. The 2025 Kananaskis Summit presents a unique test for the G7’s ability to navigate internal divisions while maintaining a unified approach to global challenges. Ministerial meetings represent a proven strategy for bolstering compliance with summit commitments. However, because of the unusual situation of a transitional government and election campaign in the months before the summit, Canada’s G7 presidency has chosen to hold only foreign and finance ministerial meetings before the summit. More ministerial meetings will be held after the summit, providing an exceptional year for assessing the impact of the timing of such meetings on compliance. By leveraging these engagements strategically, the G7 presidencies of Canada in 2025 and France in 2026 can enhance the effectiveness of the summit, ensuring that the commitments outlined in the leaders’ communiqué translate into meaningful international action.
// JESSICA RAPSON Jessica Rapson is a senior researcher with the G7 and G20 Research Groups, and a machine learning engineer with a multidisciplinary background in both statistical science and public policy. Her work focuses on applications of AI/ML in optimising decision-making processes for organisations that serve the public. She has a master’s degree in statistical science from the University of Oxford and is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
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115 globalgovernanceproject.org
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