G7 Germany 2022 Foreign Ministers’ Communiqué

Preamble

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, have met today in a fundamentally changed strategic and security environment. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is a watershed moment for the 21st century and carries dramatic consequences far beyond Europe. We, the G7, want to make abundantly clear that we will not sit by whilst countries flagrantly disregard the international rulebook, on which we all depend for peace, prosperity, security and stability.
We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia's unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia has blatantly violated the rules-based international order, international law and humanitarian principles and it has breached universally agreed and legally binding fundamental principles such as peaceful cooperation, sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity. We remain steadfast in our commitment to defend peace, human rights, the rule of law, human security and gender equality, as recognized by international law including the UN Charter and conventions, and call on our partners to join us in these efforts. Our success will depend on stronger defence, economic security, and deeper global alliances with friends and partners.
Russia's war of aggression has generated one of the most severe food and energy crises in recent history which now threatens those most vulnerable across the globe. Such actions must not stand. Our planet already faces extraordinary challenges and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine undermines and reverses progress to address these challenges. On the immediate crisis, the G7 is committed to both short-and-long term-support for Ukraine. We are determined to accelerate a coordinated multilateral response to preserve global food security and stand by our most vulnerable partners in this respect.
Democratic governance and its fundamental values underpinning our societies are under attack, undermined by military force, economic coercion, information manipulation and interference, including disinformation and other hybrid means. The G7 remains convinced that democracies remain best placed in the 21st century to ensure peaceful and prosperous societies where their people can freely exercise their human rights and freedoms, and choose leaders who represent their interests. We highly prize the contribution that civil societies all over the world have made and continue to make for much needed and transformative global change.
The climate crisis is accelerating and is threatening the very existence of humanity. Together with the international community, we must act decisively and urgently. We reaffirm our belief in international solidarity and the need to mitigate and overcome this existential, human-made threat.
The fight against COVID-19 and its global consequences is far from over. It is paramount to reaffirm our commitment to increased efforts to respond to the pandemic and to prevent a similar threat from emerging again. Equitable access to and provision of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics must go hand in hand with immediate support, especially in critical 'last mile' contexts and with a focus on humanitarian efforts as well as opportunities for a green, inclusive and sustainable recovery from COVID-19.
The present and the future of this planet are at stake. Based on a strong sense of unity, we, the G7, are determined to uphold our values, defend our interests. We commit to preserve strong, vibrant and innovative societies and to uphold the rules-based international order to protect the rights of all, including the most vulnerable. We commit to engage with partners and multilaterally for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, and to increase coordination on economic security.

I.) Foreign and security policy
Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine
We are steadfast in our support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia's unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression and reiterate our constant call on Russia to put an end to the war it started and to end the suffering and loss of life it continues to cause. We reaffirm our position as outlined in our May 13, 2022 G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Russia's war against Ukraine.
Western Balkans
We reaffirm our commitment to the European perspective of the six Western Balkan countries to ensure the security, stability and prosperity of the region. We welcome that the Western Balkans stand united in condemning Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, especially in the UN General Assembly (UNGA). We commend Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia for fully aligning their foreign policies with the EU, including sanctions and their implementation. We urge Serbia to do the same. We welcome the alignment of Bosnia and Herzegovina with EU restrictive measures on Russia and unilateral alignment of Kosovo with those measures. We must continue to help Western Balkans to reduce their dependency on Russian hydrocarbons and vulnerability to economic coercion.
We strongly support the swift opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. We call upon the countries in the region to advance internal reforms, in particular on rule of law, to expand domestic political space, to improve the environment for civil society and independent media, to pursue their efforts in the prevention of radicalization to violence, to support reconciliation, and to fight against genocide disinformation, as well as the glorification of war crimes and convicted war criminals.
We are concerned about the deepening political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and condemn any attempt to undermine the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. We will not tolerate Republika Srpska's secessionist policies, which endanger Bosnia and Herzegovina's future and the stability in the region. We urge the return to full functionality of governments at all levels to resume their work fully, putting aside divisive and inflammatory rhetoric and avoiding any act that could destabilize Bosnia and Herzegovina. We call upon all parties in the country to ensure that general elections are held as foreseen in October. We fully support the mandates of the High Representative Christian Schmidt. We fully support the executive mandate of the EUFOR ALTHEA operation to maintain a safe and secure environment in the country. We urge Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in the EU-facilitated Dialogue, to fully implement all past agreements with no delay, and to normalize their relations through a comprehensive and legally binding agreement, which will allow for the realization of their respective European perspectives, contribute to regional stability and benefit all people in the region. We support progress on inclusive regional cooperation and energy transition especially through the Common Regional Market and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans within the framework of the Berlin Process.
Indo-Pacific
We reiterate the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and based on the rule of law, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democratic principles, transparency, territorial integrity, and the peaceful and inclusive resolution of disputes. We are committed to working toward such a goal including through protecting and promoting the rules-based international order, improving regional connectivity through quality infrastructure investments, strengthening free trade, enhancing national resilience, supporting inclusive economic growth and confronting climate change and the loss of biodiversity. We express our intention to work together with like-minded countries in the region and reaffirm our support for the unity and centrality of ASEAN and commit to explore concrete cooperation in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)
East and South China Seas
We remain seriously concerned about the situation in and around the East and South China Seas. We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that could escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order and express serious concern about reports of militarisation, coercion and intimidation in the region. We emphasize the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and reaffirm UNCLOS's important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the ocean and the seas. We urge all parties to resolve disputes over maritime claims through peaceful means consistent with international law, and support using the dispute settlement mechanisms established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We reaffirm the importance of provisions laid down by UNCLOS on freedom of navigation, the right of innocent passage in the territorial sea. We stress that there is no legal basis for China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. In this regard, we reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal under Annex VII to UNCLOS on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea. We urge China to fully comply with the award and to respect navigational rights and freedoms enshrined in UNCLOS.
China
We continue to encourage China to uphold its commitments within the rules-based international order, to contribute to international security and to cooperate in advancing global health security, as well as the provision of global public goods, including on climate change, biodiversity and gender equality. We remind China of the need to uphold the principle of the UN Charter on peaceful settlement of disputes and to abstain from threats, coercion, intimidation measures or use of force.
On the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, we encourage China to support, in line with international law, the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and the integrity of its internationally recognized borders and to resolutely urge Russia to stop its military aggression against Ukraine. We call on China not to assist Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, not to undermine sanctions imposed on Russia for its attack against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, not to justify Russian action in Ukraine, and to desist from engaging in information manipulation, disinformation and other means to legitimise Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. We also support Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Assembly and WHO technical meetings. The international community should be able to benefit from the experience of all partners.
We will work together to foster global economic resilience in the face of pressure through arbitrary and coercive economic policies and practices. We encourage China to uphold its commitments to act responsibly in cyber space, including refraining from conducting or supporting cyber-enabled intellectual property theft for commercial gain.
We remain deeply concerned by the human rights situation in China, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet. In line with China's obligations under international and national law, we urge China to fully respect human rights. We urge China to complete the ratification of ILO conventions 29 and 105 and call for full implementation and for effective action against forced labour in practice. We intend to tackle instances of forced labour, including through our own available domestic means, including through raising awareness and providing advice and support for our business communities.
We urge the Chinese authorities to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang and Tibet for independent observers, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her potential visit to China. We call on China to abstain from forcibly repatriating refugees to the DPRK.
We deplore the decline of pluralism and the limitation of civil and political rights in Hong Kong and call on the Hong Kong authorities to respect human rights, the rule of law, the independence of the judicial system and democratic principles. We urge China to act in accordance with its international commitments and its legal obligations, including those enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, and to respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and the rights and freedoms of its residents.
Myanmar
We continue to condemn in the strongest terms the military coup in Myanmar and stress the importance of holding accountable all those responsible for crimes under international law as well as egregious human rights violations and abuses committed by the armed and security forces, including sexual violence and abuses against Rohingya and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups. We call on the military to immediately cease the violence, release all those who have been arbitrarily detained and restore Myanmar to the path toward inclusive democracy. We continue to support the efforts of ASEAN and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis, on the basis of the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus in all its dimensions, in particular dialogue with all parties concerned. We also support the efforts by the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General. We remain deeply concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation and call for immediate, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance and COVID-19 vaccines to all people in need, in all parts of the country. We stress the need for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of all displaced persons, including Rohingya refugees when conditions allow. We remain fully committed to stopping the sale or transfer of arms, military equipment, material and dual-use equipment to the Myanmar military, and we call on all states to adopt similar measures.
Afghanistan
We are deeply concerned over developments in Afghanistan since the forceful takeover by the Taliban. We are alarmed by the systemic abuse of human rights, especially those of women and girls and members of ethnic and religious minority groups, and of the growing denial of fundamental freedoms. We remain worried about the persistent lack of political inclusivity and representative governance, the dire economic, humanitarian and social situation and the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. We are united in our strong condemnation of the ongoing violence with recurring terrorist attacks targeting, among others, members of ethnic and religious minorities and in particular members of the Shia/Hazara community and of the terrorist threat emanating from Afghan soil for neighbouring countries and beyond.
We reassure the people of Afghanistan of our continued support to address their humanitarian and basic human needs, as demonstrated with our commitments at the High-Level Pledging Conference on 31 March. Unimpeded humanitarian access is indispensable for a swift and full distribution of humanitarian assistance consistent with humanitarian principles. The prevention of aid diversion is key for any assistance. We urgently call upon the Taliban to ensure the essential basis for long-term social, economic and political stability: with meaningful efforts towards inclusive and representative governance, rule of law and civil society; with full respect for political, social, economic, cultural and educational rights, including those of women, girls and members of minority groups; and with adherence to the commitments made in the Doha agreement and to provide safety to the people of Afghanistan.
We reiterate our request to the Taliban to urgently reverse their decision denying Afghan girls equal access to secondary education and call resolutely to revoke the recent announcement on women's appearance in public along with new punishments for family members to enforce compliance with these restrictions, which represent further serious restrictions on fundamental freedoms for women and girls. We await swift and full implementation of their decision to ban opium cultivation, which should lead to concrete efforts addressing illegal drugs trafficking and financing of terrorism. We recall our expectations that the Taliban allow safe passage across the borders of Afghanistan for foreign and Afghan nationals. We emphasise that the type and scope of our non-humanitarian engagement with Afghanistan and of our relations with the Taliban will be determined in large part by their commitments, actions and achievements on these matters and the expectations widely shared by the international community. We call upon international partners and particularly countries neighbouring Afghanistan to define their respective engagement with the Taliban on this basis. Unity of the international community is key to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
Libya
We call on all Libyan stakeholders to ensure the democratic aspirations of the Libyan people are recognized through the swift definition of a legal basis followed by free, fair and inclusive Presidential and Parliamentary elections as soon as possible. We call on all parties to refrain from violence and to preserve the unity of the country and its institutions. We remain concerned about reprisals against women in public and political roles. We recall UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2571 (2021) and its provision recalling that individuals or entities engaging in, or providing support for, acts that threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya, may be designated for targeted sanctions. We reiterate our support for mediation efforts through the good offices of the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor Stephanie Williams and encourage all international partners and Libyan stakeholders to cooperate fully. In that regard, we take note of the adoption of UNSCR 2629 (2022) restructuring the United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and calling upon the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative promptly.
We are deeply concerned by the continued oil shutdowns depriving the Libyans of substantial revenue, burdening them with increasing prices, and risking electricity outages, water supply problems, and fuel shortages. We urge the full resumption of oil production in Libya and call upon all actors to refrain from using it as an instrument of political confrontation. We continue to stress the need for oil revenues to be transparently managed, with public expenditures decided and executed through a clear budgetary process for the benefit of all Libyan people. The unity, integrity, and apolitical nature of the National Oil Corporation must be preserved. We continue to call for full implementation of the 23 October 2020 ceasefire, freedom of movement for all Libyans, compliance with the arms embargo and the full withdrawal from Libya without delay of all foreign forces and mercenaries, as set out in UNSCRs 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021). We call on all Libyan authorities to ensure the delivery of basic services to the Libyan people, to protect civil society from persecution and defend the right to civic dialogue, to respect human rights, to promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses, and to ensure protection of refugees and migrants. We support the renewal of the authorisations set out in UNSCR 2292 (2016) to ensure an effective implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya. In this regard, we welcome the EU's continued efforts through Operation IRINI.
Syria
We reaffirm that there is no alternative to an inclusive political solution on the basis of UNSCR 2254. We call on all parties, especially the Syrian Arab Republic, to engage meaningfully in the UN-facilitated political process. We do not support efforts to normalize relations with the Assad regime and will not normalize relations ourselves, nor lift sanctions or fund reconstruction until there is irreversible progress towards a political solution. We condemn the Assad regime and its backers for, among other things, its ongoing systematic atrocities against the Syrian people as well as the regime's attempts to divert humanitarian assistance and disrupt regular and sustained humanitarian access into and within Syria, and take strong exception to the politicisation of aid access and delivery. We condemn the widespread perpetration of sexual violence and we strongly support the continued authorisation of cross-border humanitarian assistance later this year.
We welcome the sixth Brussels Conference on the Future of Syria and the Region as a strong expression of continued engagement and support for the people of Syria, the Syrian civil society, and an inclusive political solution to the Syria conflict in accordance with UNSCR 2254. We stress the importance of ensuring any future political solution includes the meaningful participation of women. We urge the regime to comply with its obligations under UNSCR 2118, including its obligation to cooperate fully with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and continue to fully support the decision of the States Parties to suspend some of Syria's rights and privileges under the Chemical Weapons Convention, until it completes the steps set out in the OPCW Executive Council Decision of 9 July 2020. We are firmly committed to accountability for the use of chemical weapons and violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. There can be no impunity for the use of chemical weapons. As participating States of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, we welcome the work of the OPCW's Investigation and Identification Team, and its continuing efforts to attribute responsibility for chemical weapons attacks in Syria. We continue to support efforts of the Global Coalition against Daesh to stabilize liberated areas.
We underscore the urgent need for progress on the fate and whereabouts of tens of thousands forcibly disappeared or arbitrarily detained Syrians. We welcome ongoing efforts by national courts to prosecute international crimes that were committed in Syria over which they are able to exercise jurisdiction, and pledge to support these efforts as well as the work of appropriate international criminal justice and investigative mechanisms and transitional justice mechanisms, such as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism and the Commission of Inquiry.
Iraq
We reiterate our commitment to Iraq's stability, sovereignty, and democracy. Following successful elections in October 2021, we call on Iraq to urgently form a new government; one which meets the needs and is accountable to all Iraqi people, including through much needed economic reform, regional cooperation and stabilization. We continue to support efforts, led by the Government of Iraq and backed by the Global Coalition against Daesh, to combat Daesh, and consolidate and strengthen Iraq's stability and security while commending Iraq's initiatives for the repatriation of its citizens from the camps in the North East of Syria. We also welcome the activities carried out, at the request of the Government of Iraq, by the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq, supporting the reform of the civilian security sector, and by the NATO Mission Iraq, helping to strengthen security forces and institutions. We continue to be concerned about the humanitarian situation and protracted displacement of 1.2 million Iraqis and encourage Iraq to deliver on commitments made to facilitate durable solutions. We urge Iraq to live up to its ambitions of a green economic transition and stand ready to assist in this transformation.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
We also addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reaffirmed our commitment to a negotiated Two-State solution, which envisions both Israel and a viable Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. In light of recent events, we strongly condemn terrorism, indiscriminate violence against civilians and incitements to acts of violence. We also condemn the firing of rockets by militants in Gaza into Israel. We welcome the positive steps taken recently by both sides and encourage further engagement between the parties, including on deepening economic cooperation, to renew confidence, improve the Palestinian economy and lay the path towards relaunching a political process as soon as possible. We reiterate our support for the historic Status Quo in Jerusalem, and Jordan's special role. We urge all parties to refrain from any and all unilateral actions that exacerbate tensions or threaten the Two-State Solution including incitement to violence or the expansion of settlements. We underline the importance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for the stability of the region and call on the international community to broaden and sustain support for the agency so that services can be reliably provided.
Yemen
We welcome the two-month truce and the associated confidence-building measures, including the import of fuel through the ports of Hodeidah and the opening of Sana'a airport, brokered by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy Hans Grundberg. We highly appreciate the government reform in Yemen, including the formation of a Presidential Leadership Council, as an important step towards peace and stability in Yemen. We call on all parties to the conflict to respect the truce, implement the confidence-building measures in the interest of the Yemeni people and engage constructively in talks to open the Taiz-Hawban road. We call on the parties to the conflict to engage in constructive talks under the leadership of the United Nations, to convert this truce into a lasting ceasefire and to ultimately reach a durable peace that includes meaningful input from women and civil society leaders and members from marginalized communities. We call for accountability for human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. All parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian access. All parties to the conflict should provide access for human rights advocates, journalists, and civil society staff working to document human rights abuses and violations in order to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian aid and commodities, especially fuel, must flow unimpeded into and throughout the country. We call on the international community, especially countries from the region, to provide substantial financial support for the humanitarian response, which is currently $3bn in deficit, and for a resolution to the ailing tanker FSO Safer to thus help prevent an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe for the region.
G7-Africa Partnership
We are determined to deepen our partnerships with African countries, regional organisations, and the African Union in the spirit of multilateralism and the rules-based international system, building more inclusive, sustainable and resilient economies, advancing global health and food security, confronting climate change and the loss of biodiversity, and empowering women and girls. Our cooperation is guided by the objectives of the AU Agenda 2063, the 2030 Agenda the Paris Agreement. We welcome further efforts to advance this cooperation, such as the EU-AU Joint Vision for 2030.
In addition to the significant impact of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa's economies have been substantially impacted by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, through rising energy, food and fertilizer prices, and increased cost of borrowing. We will further strengthen our economic cooperation with our African partners in different ways such as via the G7 Partnership for Infrastructure and Investment, the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package and the G20 Compact with Africa. We will also work towards a successful COP27 hosted by Egypt and welcome related African initiatives such as the AU's Green Recovery Action Plan.
We commend the exceptional work of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the AU's African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) in coordinating a strong African response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we are determined to continue our support towards the achievement of Africa's goals in combatting COVID-19 and other diseases. We furthermore recognise the important contributions of Africa CDC and other African partners to the Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa, which is spearheaded by G7-led Global Partnership (GP) Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction.
We remain determined to fight terrorism and its spread across Africa, developing a global approach, based on the respect of international law and on the political will of affected countries. Premised on the principle of African solutions for African problems, we underscore our support for continental responses to peace, security and governance challenges.
Horn of Africa
The G7 remains concerned about peace, security, and humanitarian challenges in the Horn of Africa. Political instability, weak governance, armed conflicts, militias and terrorist groups as well as growing militarization of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea threaten democratic achievements and economic reforms of the recent years. As a result, humanitarian pressures are mounting throughout the region - exacerbated by the effects of climate change, an unprecedented drought, and natural disasters and by the impacts of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, including on food insecurity. The emergence of famine-like conditions in Ethiopia and Somalia impacting nearly 500,000 people is highly concerning Insecurity and politicized access preclude humanitarian agencies from delivering life-saving aid to millions. The poorest and most vulnerable populations in the Horn of Africa are bearing the brunt of such pressures. We are deeply concerned about the increasing numbers of displaced persons and the worsening human rights situation, in particular widespread sexual and gender based violence. We emphasize our commitment to work with countries and institutions in the region to foster peace and security, democratic and inclusive governance, economic development and a sustainable and equitable use of resources in the Horn of Africa and its wider neighborhood as well as to strengthen resilience of people and economies.
Somalia
We urge Somalia's leaders to conclude the ongoing electoral process in an inclusive and transparent manner that lends legitimacy and credibility to the new Somali president and government. Although we welcome the significant progress that has been made in completing the parliamentary election process, we are discouraged that the 30 percent quota for female representation has not been met. We are deeply concerned by the worsening drought and ongoing humanitarian crisis. Reports of persistent sexual and gender-based violence are deplorable. We recognize the need for urgent, concerted action from the international community to prevent a catastrophic deterioration of these crises and build resilience. We underline the need for continued efforts to counter violent extremism in Somalia and urge effective implementation to build capacity and enable Somalia to assume responsibility over its national security. We therefore welcome the UN Security Council's (UNSC) mandate for the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
Sudan
We continue to call for a return to a civilian-led transition towards an inclusive democracy and peace after the military takeover on 25 October 2021. Restoration of a credible civilian-led government is vital to allow for the resumption of economic support and international debt relief to help Sudan resolve its economic crisis. We urge an end to the violence, including sexual and gender based violence, against protesters, the immediate release of all those unjustly detained and an end to any practice of arbitrary arrests and detentions. We condemn these acts in the strongest terms, and insist on the importance of justice for victims and survivors in order to achieve reconciliation. We also call for the immediate lifting of the State of Emergency. The military needs to show through its actions that it is indeed committed to a peaceful and democratic Sudan. Civilian actors also need to find common ground about key negotiation issues to take back the reins of a civilian-led government. We welcome the cooperation of the UN, AU and IGAD in co-facilitating a Sudanese-led political process and encourage all actors to continue engaging in the next phase of the process towards a resolution of the crisis and a peaceful, democratic, and civilian-led Sudan.
Ethiopia
We welcome the announcement of an indefinite humanitarian truce and urge all parties to the conflict to ensure full, safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance to all conflict areas. We call on all conflict parties to negotiate a lasting ceasefire and move towards a political solution to the crisis that will lay the foundations for durable peace and will create the conditions for a genuinely inclusive national dialogue. We urge the Eritrean government to withdraw its forces from Northern Ethiopia.
Human rights violations and abuses, including sexual and gender-based violence, and a lack of accountability remain major concerns. We welcome the engagement of the Government of Ethiopia with the recommendations of the Joint Investigation report and the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce and urge all parties to the conflict to cooperate with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia to avoid impunity, prevent further atrocities and pave the way towards justice and reconciliation. We encourage the conflict parties to ensure the voices of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence are present in any political solution.
We are deeply concerned about the worsening drought in the southern and eastern regions which is affecting more than 8 million people. We commit to support humanitarian efforts and urge other international partners to do the same.
Sahel
We are concerned about the series of coup d'Etats and military take-overs in Western Africa. We underline the need for free and fair elections and return to constitutional order in Mali, Chad, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. We support the efforts of ECOWAS, the AU and the UN to mediate and assist the political transitions in the region. We are concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation and commit to continue working with humanitarian actors to address growing humanitarian needs. Humanitarian access must be maintained and international law respected by all security forces operating in the region. We take note of the decision of some partners to withdraw their military capacities from Mali due to multiple obstructions by the Malian transitional authorities as well as the presence of Russian affiliated forces.
We regret that the Malian transitional authorities have not fulfilled yet their commitment to ECOWAS, supported by the African Union, to organize presidential and legislative elections. We commend MINUSMA's role in the stabilization of Mali. We express our deep concern over the growing presence of Russia-backed Wagner group Forces in Mali and their potentially destabilizing impact on the entire region as well as our grave concern over credible allegations of serious human rights abuses and violations committed in Mali by elements of the Malian armed forces accompanied by Russian affiliated forces which allegedly caused the death of hundreds of civilians. These abuses and violations, committed under the pretext of combatting terrorism, contribute to exacerbate inter-ethnic tensions and benefit terrorist organizations in the long run. They must be investigated impartially and those responsible held to account. MINUSMA must be granted access to the sites of the alleged violations and abuses to investigate per its UNSC mandate.
We will continue to support the Sahel countries in their efforts to achieve self-reliance and sustainable peace, stability and development. We note the need to address the root causes of conflict and in parallel to fight terrorist threats in the Sahel region. International assistance coordination mechanisms, such as the Coalition for the Sahel, P3S, and the Sahel Alliance, have an important role to play. We reaffirm our commitment to support the civilian and political surge in the Sahel, which countries called for at the Ndjamena summit. We are concerned about the evolution of the terrorist threat from the Sahel towards the Gulf of Guinea coastal states. We emphasize the need to strengthen their resilience in a comprehensive way and call for improved collaboration between the Sahel and coastal countries, including via ECOWAS and the Accra Initiative.
Gulf of Guinea/ Maritime security and safety, combatting illicit activities at sea
We reiterate our commitment to promoting a cooperative system of international governance for the ocean and seas and to maintaining the rules-based maritime order based on international law, in particular UNCLOS. We welcome the progress achieved by the states bordering the Gulf of Guinea in the implementation of the Yaoundé Maritime Security Architecture, in particular in preventing and combating piracy and other illicit activities at sea, and the continuation of the European Union support through the Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) in the Gulf of Guinea. We encourage the states of the region and other states and international organizations concerned to further address the root causes, prevention, and prosecution of piracy, including within the coordination framework of the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FOGG). It is in this framework we will pursue the strengthening of maritime security, the protection of marine resources and biodiversity as well as regional ownership and the enhancement of the work of the Yaoundé Maritime Security Architecture.
Venezuela
We are very concerned about the ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Venezuela, as well as by the increasing number of displaced persons, causing the biggest migration crisis in the region. We strongly condemn human rights abuses committed by the Maduro regime, and continue to call for an end of human rights abuses. We support the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Independent Fact Finding Mission with a view to holding those responsible accountable and improve the human rights situation in Venezuela. Important structural deficiencies were observed in local elections held in November 2021. We urge the Maduro regime to respect basic democratic principles and act consistently with the recommendations formulated by the EU Electoral Observation Mission. We reiterate our call for the respect of all political and civil rights and the release of all political prisoners. The only way out of the crisis lies in Venezuelan-led negotiations leading to free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections. We call on all parties to resume these negotiations promptly and act in good faith for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.
Haiti
We remain deeply concerned by the dire humanitarian and economic situation in Haiti and by the severe consequences of the grip of violent criminal groups on the security and political situation. We call on the international community to support Haiti and we underline the essential role and action of international organizations on the ground. Our priority is to help strengthen the Haitian National Police's capacities in order to bring back security and civil peace. We stress the importance of restoring the efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against impunity. We call on all political and civil society actors to overcome their differences and to engage in a meaningful dialogue in order to restore the functioning of democratic institutions and allow for the holding of free and fair elections when conditions permit.
Conflict prevention and management, support for UN efforts and reform, peacekeeping missions, gender parity strategy
We reaffirm our strong support for conflict analysis, early warning, crisis prevention, peacebuilding and strategic foresight as key instruments to prevent conflict and sustain peace and commit to examine synergies between them. We are eager to find ways to secure a financial basis for peacebuilding, including for the UN Peacebuilding Fund, by exploring all funding options for peacebuilding, including innovative financing mechanisms and aim to develop a G7-process on peace finance, in continuation of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on peacebuilding financing this April. It is our firm conviction that United Nations Peacekeeping remains a core component of the UN mission of maintaining international peace and security. We continue to support the Secretary-General's ongoing "Action for Peacekeeping/Action for Peacekeeping plus" reform initiatives. In our view, UN Peacekeeping is one component of a comprehensive approach to achieve lasting conflict resolution that similarly builds on prevention, mediation and peacebuilding. We pursue a multidimensional approach to account for the various challenges, inter alia threats from armed actors and disinformation campaigns, which some peace operation face.
We reaffirm our support to the UN and Secretary-General Guterres' path for UN reform for a more agile, integrated and cohesive UN. We welcome the Secretary General's initiatives on his report "Our Common Agenda", particularly those regarding the full equal effective and meaningful participation of women and the inclusion of youth and civil society organizations, and will jointly contribute to achieving its goals. We recommit to the reform of the UN Security Council. We are deeply concerned by Russia's abuse of its position as a permanent member of the UNSC, particularly in the context of its aggression against Ukraine.
We remain committed to the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda as enshrined in the UNSC Resolution 1325 and its follow-up resolutions, as well as the UN's Gender Parity Strategy and its Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy. Gender equality and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, women peacebuilders, women peacekeepers, women human rights defenders and women-led organizations in all their diversity, at all stages and at all levels of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping is critical to ensure sustainable and inclusive peace processes.
We condemn sexual and gender-based violence, including when related to conflict, and underscore that such acts may constitute crimes against humanity or war crimes. We recognize the need to strengthen the implementation of the international architecture to tackle conflict-related sexual violence and commit to setting out a shared position in response to G7 Leaders' request to Foreign and Development Ministers on this issue at Carbis Bay in 2021. We reaffirm the importance of a gender-transformative mainstreaming approach. A survivor-centered approach should be adopted when dealing with sexual and gender-based violence, including when related to conflict. Survivors' access to justice, redress and support services is crucial for them to have a chance at a life in dignity. In this respect, we encourage efforts such as those of the Global Survivors Fund and the UN Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict. We are exploring ideas for how to improve accountability for human rights violations and abuses, such as sexual and gender-based violence, including through a study on the merits of a possible standing independent investigative mechanism.
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
We are committed to strengthening non-proliferation and disarmament efforts for a more secure, more stable, and safer world. We endorse the Statement of the G7 Non-Proliferation Directors' Group as published on 9 May 2022, which outlines our commitment on non-proliferation and disarmament.
We are resolved to comprehensively strengthen the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, promote its universalization, re-inforce the importance of commitments made in past NPT Review Conferences and advance the NPT's implementation across all three of its mutually reinforcing pillars. We underline the authority and primacy of the NPT as the irreplaceable cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
We reiterate that a meaningful outcome at the NPT Review Conference later this year is our priority and we reaffirm our commitment to the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all, achieved through concrete practical steps. More than fifty years of progress on nuclear arms control and strategic risk reduction must be continued, and the overall decline in global nuclear arsenals must be sustained and not reversed. We are resolved to promote the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We underline the urgent need to bring this treaty into force. Pending the entry into force of the Treaty, we call on all states that have not yet done so to declare new or maintain existing moratoriums on nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions.
We deplore Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which has led to the suspension of the US-Russian Strategic Stability Dialogue that aimed at laying the foundation for future arms control arrangements. We condemn Russia's unjustified use of nuclear rhetoric and signalling. We urge Russia to behave responsibly and exercise restraint. The G7 supports and encourages wider efforts towards an active arms control dialogue involving China. We welcome efforts by the G7 Nuclear Weapons States to promote effective measures that are critical towards progress on disarmament under the NPT and we underline that all Nuclear Weapons States have the responsibility to engage positively and in good faith in this regard. We commit to enhancing export controls, including through international export control regimes, on materials, technology and research that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. We also intend to share our expertise to help other states counter such proliferation.
Biosecurity and 20 years of the G7 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction
We reaffirm the unique and valuable contribution of the G7-led Global Partnership (GP) against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. We will dedicate further efforts to address biological threats in the framework of the GP. We will step up efforts to counter the weaponisation of disease, notably within the 31-member GP which supports vulnerable partner countries around the globe as well as at the upcoming Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. At the Conference, we will work to strengthen implementation of the Convention by promoting progress toward more effective implementation, increased transparency, and enhanced compliance and confidence-building measures. We will continue to back the United Nations Secretary-General's Mechanism for investigating alleged uses of chemical or biological weapons. We intend to further deepen our cooperation with African biosecurity partners to develop and implement the GP's Signature Initiative to mitigate Biological Threats in Africa.
We commend the 20th anniversary of the GP. The G7 is committed to ensuring that the GP remains a key contributor to countering persisting and newly emerging threats posed by weapons and materials of mass destruction.
Iran
We are committed to ensuring that Iran will never develop a nuclear weapon. We reaffirm our support for a restoration and full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). A diplomatic solution remains the best way to restrict Iran's nuclear programme. We support continued efforts to achieve the full restoration of the JCPoA. It is high time for Iran to seize this opportunity to bring negotiations which started in Vienna more than eleven months ago to a successful conclusion. We urge Iran to refrain from further escalations of its nuclear activities. Escalations carried out over the last eighteen months are very serious developments and a matter of deep concern. They have no credible civilian requirement and have particularly grave implications.
The G7 expresses strong support for the crucial verification and monitoring mandate of the IAEA. We urge Iran to uphold and fully implement all obligations and commitments, in particular under its NPT-required safeguards agreement with the IAEA, and to provide without further delay all required information to enable the IAEA to clarify and resolve outstanding safeguards issues.
We reassert our serious concerns about Iran's destabilizing activities in and around the Middle East. This includes activities related to ballistic and cruise missiles, including transfer of missile and missile technology, and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles and conventional arms to state and non-state actors. Such weapons proliferation is destabilising for the region and escalates already high tensions. We urge Iran to cease its political and military support to proxy groups and fully abide by all relevant UNSCRs, in particular UNSCR 2231 (2015).
We are deeply concerned by the continued human rights violations and abuses in Iran, including those affecting the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association, freedom of religion or belief, and freedom of expression. Foreign and dual nationals and human rights defenders have faced arbitrary arrest, detention and lengthy prison sentences and should be released.
DPRK
We strongly condemn the continued testing of ballistic missiles by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch conducted on March 24 2022, which confirms yet again the DPRK's intention to further develop its nuclear and missiles capabilities. We deeply regret that the DPRK, with the most recent launches, has also abandoned its self-declared moratorium on ICBM launches. These reckless actions demand a united and decisive response by the international community, including further significant measures to be taken by the UNSC.
We reiterate our demand that the DPRK abandon its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, in accordance with all relevant UNSCRs. We urge the DPRK to abide by these UNSCRs and return at an early date to and fully comply with the NPT and IAEA safeguards. We reiterate that the DPRK cannot have the status of a nuclear weapon State in accordance with the NPT. We call on the DPRK to accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by all parties concerned including the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan. We remain committed to working with all relevant partners towards the goal of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
We deem critical that sanctions which target the DPRK's unlawful weapons development and related activities remain in place while its programs exist. We call on all States to fully and effectively implement all relevant UNSCRs and vigilantly monitor for sanctions evading activities. We note with concern the report by the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1874(2009) that illicit ship-to-ship transfers continue to take place and welcome efforts to address these transfers. We remain ready to assist in and strengthen capacities for effective sanctions implementation. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we commend the work of the 1718 Committee, which has swiftly approved all COVID-19 related sanctions exemption requests for humanitarian assistance for the DPRK.
We continue to condemn the DPRK's systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations and abuses and urge the DPRK to respect the human rights of its entire people, to cooperate with all relevant UN bodies and to resolve the abductions issue immediately. We remain gravely concerned regarding the humanitarian situation in the DPRK which is the result of the DPRK's choice to prioritize its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of its own people. We urge the DPRK to facilitate access for international humanitarian organizations for the delivery of urgently required humanitarian goods such as food and medicines and for independent assessment of humanitarian needs as soon as possible. Humanitarian aid should be delivered in a manner consistent with UNSCRs and humanitarian principles.
Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space - Responsible space behaviors
State threats to the secure, safe, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space are of serious concern. Given that our societies are increasingly reliant on space systems for their security and prosperity, we are determined to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation and reduce space threats. We reaffirm a shared understanding that international law applies to activities in the exploration and use of outer space. As all nations are increasingly reliant on space systems and services, the security and sustainability of the space environment is a common concern. Establishing norms, rules and principles for responsible space behaviours is a pragmatic way forward to enhance security, mitigate threats against space systems and reduce the risks of misperception, miscalculation, and escalation. We encourage all states to positively engage in the UN Open Ended Working Group that aims to build a common understanding of responsible space behaviours and consider first proposals for norms, rules, and principles in that regard. We welcome the US commitment not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing.
Sustainable Space Environment
We promote the maintenance of a peaceful, safe, secure and sustainable space environment. We underscore the importance of the Long Term Sustainability Guidelines and Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. We call on others to join us in implementing these guidelines. We recognize the importance of developing common standards, best practices and guidelines related to sustainable space operations alongside the need for a collaborative approach for space traffic management and co-ordination. We call on all nations to work together, to preserve a peaceful and sustainable space environment for future generations
International Terrorism
We reiterate our strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We reaffirm our commitment to contribute to the international efforts aimed at preventing and fighting terrorism, in particular our collective efforts against Daesh, Al-Qaeda and their affiliated groups, which continue to pose a threat on a global scale. We stress that all counter-terrorism measures must be conducted in full compliance with international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international refugee law, as applicable. We remain committed to address the factors that can contribute to terrorism, including political and socio-economic instability, and to adopt a whole-of-government, whole-of-society and gender-responsive approach in our counter-terrorism efforts. We are committed to fostering international action and cooperation to fight terrorist financing and money laundering and call for the full implementation of the FATF standards and relevant UNSC resolutions. We recognize the need to keep investing in the prevention of radicalization to violence and countering the spread of terrorist propaganda online, including by maintaining our collective efforts within multi-stakeholder efforts such as the framework of the Christchurch Call and the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. We are committed to strengthening the implementation of UNSCR 1540 by all UN member states. The upcoming comprehensive review and resolution renewal provide a unique opportunity to reiterate that 1540 remains the most important multilateral tool to prevent non-state actors from acquiring nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, their means of delivery, and related materials.
We note with concern the rising threat posed by violent extremism or terrorism, referred to by some governments as extreme rightwing terrorism and by others as a form of racially, ethnically or other ideologically motivated violent extremism or terrorism. We call for increased engagement with relevant partners and institutions, enhanced international information sharing, and welcome efforts initiated to tackle this growing threat and its transnational dimensions.
Transnational Organized Crime
Transnational organized crime remains a significant threat to both our national and international security, whose destabilizing influence has been amplified by the impact of the COVID pandemic and the recent Ukraine crisis. We call for more targeted, coordinated and sustained action against criminal networks, cybercrime, and illicit financial flows, including in conflict areas, also by further coordinating our capacity building efforts and strengthening international cooperation. We underscore that the world drug problem is one of the major challenges facing the international community. Trafficking in drugs and precursors chemicals bolsters organized crime, has a destabilizing effect on our citizens and societies, endangers public health and can be used, in some instances, as a major source of funding terrorist activities. Against these challenges, we reaffirm our determination to reinforce our cooperation with other regions of the world in order to reduce illegal drug production and trafficking.
We remain committed to safe, orderly, and regular migration around the world, and will continue to engage in preventing and countering migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. Our approach will continue to be human rights oriented, survivor-centered, gender-responsive and will focus on identifying and protecting the most at-risk as well as on prosecuting the perpetrators. We recognize that illicit trafficking and crimes that affect the environment, including crimes against wildlife, pose a significant and growing threat, also for its linkages with transnational organized crime networks. We are committed to working together to strengthen cross-border law enforcement and tackle corruption associated with these forms of crime. We recall that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons is a major threat to peace, security, stability and development. Preventing and fighting such traffics is also part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We underscore the important role that the G7 Roma-Lyon Group plays in fostering international cooperation to counter terrorism and combat transnational organized crime.
II.) Prevention and Transformation
a) Tackling the global climate and biodiversity crises and promoting a sustainable and just energy transition
Recognizing science including the latest IPCC findings, we emphasize the urgency for enhanced climate action to stay within a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise, to protect people, livelihoods and ecosystems and to maintain peace and stability. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening the implementation of the Paris Agreement. To this end, we commit to urgent, ambitious and inclusive action in this decade to reduce emissions leading to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and by 2050 at the latest, enhance resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change and align financial flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement. We call on all countries and financial institutions, in particular Multilateral Development Banks, to do the same. We remain steadfast in our commitments to provide support for developing countries, including climate finance. We will fully play our part in urgently implementing the Glasgow Climate Pact, and further commitments made at COP26, including sectoral initiatives. We engage with non-state actors to support sectoral implementation of their COP26 commitments and note the need for inclusive and transparent tracking of progress in climate initiatives in both adaptation and mitigation.
The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is essential to sustain human life and is closely interlinked with climate. One of the key drivers contributing to the loss of biodiversity is climate change; on the other hand, biodiversity offers solutions to address climate change. Loss of biodiversity threatens political, economic and health and food security. We reaffirm the urgent need to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, including loss of forests by 2030. We call for an ambitious and effective post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with strong accountability and implementation mechanisms to be adopted at CBD-COP15 and swiftly implemented by all parties.
We commit to aligning all financial flows with biodiversity objectives, including identifying, redirecting or eliminating subsidies harmful to biodiversity and call on all countries and financial institutions, in particular Multilateral Development Banks, to do the same. We are committed to mobilizing resources, from all sources, to substantially increase our funding in support of biodiversity finance by 2025, including increased funding for Nature-based Solutions with strong environmental and social safeguards, and ensure our economic and financial decision-making is aligned with sustainability objectives.
Creating new climate partnerships
We recognize the need for global action and the role of the G7 working together with all countries especially the major emitters to reach the objectives above. We also recognize that leaders decided to explore establishing an open, cooperative international Climate Club, consistent with international rules, and with participation beyond the G7. We are committed to achieving a true paradigm shift, by demonstrating that ambitious climate action is conducive to strong and sustainable growth for all economies.
We commit to support developing countries and emerging markets in their endeavor to transition on net-zero pathways, in line with keeping 1.5°C within reach and the goals of the Paris Agreement. We engage in just energy-transition partnerships, on a case by case basis, jointly with developing countries and emerging markets that seek to raise their climate ambition in order to reach the above-mentioned objectives based on the leadership of each developing country, by matching high ambition with the necessary means to accelerate this transition such as financing, access to green technologies, technical assistance and exchange of experience based on just transition processes in our respective domestic markets.
Climate, peace and security
We recognize the complex nexus between climate change and environmental degradation, and human, regional and international security, including gender equality, the growing evidence on adverse effects on peace, stability and security. We adopt a declaration on Climate, Environment, Peace and Security, as a first step towards a global inclusive initiative with concrete proposals for cooperation towards better risk-informed planning, better capacity for action, to improve our operational responses in order to prevent further climate and environment-induced risks where possible and effectively cope with them where unavoidable. We invite those countries and actors with comparably ambitious goals to join us in these efforts.
We recognize that exceeding tipping points could trigger abrupt or irreversible changes in ecosystems or physical components of the climate system in addition to other severe impacts of climate change beyond those already visible today. Exceeding such tipping points could lead to disturbances and the destabilization of different regions particularly affected by such events and eventually of the global ecosystem in its entirety. At the same time we recognize the need for further scientific study into "tipping points" to better understand their implications. We underscore the urgency for immediate and comprehensive scenario planning as a crucial element of a preventive and climate-sensitive foreign and security policy, as well as for building the capacity to respond to the outcomes of such events should they occur, and building on the work of the UN Security Mechanism as well as other UN and regional institutions.
Conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction
We reaffirm that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the ocean and seas must be carried out, including the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment. We will work to expeditiously conclude by the end of 2022 the negotiation of an ambitious international legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. We will enhance our efforts and continue to work in good faith together to ensure an ambitious, effective, inclusive, fair and future-proofed treaty.
Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica
As an important contribution to the protection by 2030 of at least 30% of the Ocean and seas through an ecologically representative, well connected network of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), we fully support the commitment by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to develop a representative system of MPAs in the Convention Area, based on the best available scientific evidence and the proposals to establish new MPAs in East Antarctica, in the Weddell Sea and in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Role of businesses and investors
Responsible business conduct including human rights and environmental due diligence in global value chains can mitigate the risks of adverse corporate human rights or environmental impacts and contribute to resilient supply chains. We encourage States to step up efforts for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises as well as the ILO tripartite declaration concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE declaration).
International cooperation and clean, secure and just energy transition for sustainable growth
[Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has reminded us of the importance of ensuring energy security while accelerating energy transition. In this context, we recognize the importance of accelerating investment in upstream developments, including in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, and promoting usage of clean energy with a view to decreasing our dependency on Russia's energy.
We are convinced that the 2020s must become a decade of action to speed the decarbonization of global energy systems. To this end, we commit to reduce energy consumption, promote energy efficiency, to fast-track clean, safe and sustainable energy deployment while at the same time accelerating the reduction of our overall reliance on fossil fuels. We will ensure that the transitions are just and inclusive and will strengthen international cooperation to achieve a just and inclusive transition globally. An accelerated clean energy transition that is aligned with the goals of the Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement is also one of the most important contributions towards energy security. Avoiding a carbon-lock-and diversifying our energy sources and energy mix supply chains will enhance our energy security and decrease undue dependencies on certain exporters and fossil fuel imports, in accordance with our climate objectives. Such energy transition will also require a greater focus and cooperation on the development of secure and sustainable sources of critical minerals - including rare earth elements - essential for green technologies. Close international cooperation has a central role to play in these efforts. Innovation offers the potential to combine effective climate change mitigation with sustainable growth and secure energy supplies.
Sustainable infrastructure and connectivity
We share the aim of urgently closing the infrastructure investment gap in low- and middle-income countries, in particular in Africa and in the Indo-Pacific. We are committed to a step change in our approach to infrastructure financing, including by building strategic partnerships and by promoting and calling on all actors to adhere to existing international standards for sustainable, quality and transparent infrastructure investment in line with the G7 Ise-Shima principles and the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment. We underscore the importance of a geostrategic and global approach to connectivity that contributes to the diversification of value chains, reduces strategic dependencies, including on critical raw materials and energy, avoids carbon lock-in, improves climate resilience, ensures a secure, resilient and human-centric digital ecosystem, advances our joint long-term economic, foreign, development and security interests, ensures high environmental, social, financial, labour, governance, open, economically efficient and transparency standards including debt sustainability and promotes our values globally. We stress that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has a far-reaching impact on global connectivity and has further highlighted the benefits of diversified and resilient supply chains.
We welcome that G7 Development Ministers will prepare concrete proposals to operationalize the G7 Partnership for Infrastructure and Investment (G7 PII) and present them to G7 Leaders ahead of the Elmau Summit, in particular with a view to improve conditions for mobilising private capital and expertise for sustainable infrastructure investments, to promote the development of a pipeline of bankable projects and by preparing the ground for Country Partnerships with selected partner countries. We will closely align the G7 PII with G7 member initiatives, incl. EU Global Gateway, the US global infrastructure investment, the Japanese Partnership for Quality Infrastructure and the British international investment initiative.
Crises foresight and data supported early identification of risks
We are convinced that crisis foresight and early warning supported by data analytics can significantly contribute to more effective prevention, as well as preparedness and responses, and better anticipatory action along the Humanitarian-Development-Peace plus climate nexus. Building capacities in gender-responsive crisis analytics, scaling financing for high-quality data and data analytics and enabling crosscutting collaboration across disciplines, organizations and regions will strengthen our joint efforts for sustaining peace. We acknowledge the role of the Complex Risk Analytics Fund (CRAF'd) as one significant multilateral effort to advance these objectives and to facilitate an ecosystem of partners that uses the potential of data and technology.
Anticipatory humanitarian action, famine prevention, humanitarian crises and food insecurity
Alarmed by ever-growing humanitarian needs worldwide we note with deep concern that conflicts and an increase of climate-change-induced disasters, exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19 and Russia's war of aggression against of Ukraine, are threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and severely aggravate human suffering. We fully support the multilateral action initiated by the United Nations Secretary-General (Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance), commend the work of the G7 Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Working Group and endorse the G7 Statement on Strengthening Anticipatory Action in Humanitarian Assistance, which leads the way to a paradigm shift towards a proactive, forward-looking humanitarian assistance, in order to act before crises strike. We reaffirm our commitment to advocate for, enable and systematically embed anticipatory action in the humanitarian system and strive to significantly increase our related financial support.
We express deep concern for the worsening state of food insecurity and malnutrition across the world, already exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and deteriorated by the unprovoked and unjustifiable Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, both in Ukraine and across the globe. Food prices and costs for humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance to those in greatest need are both rising, at a time when 45 million people are already one-step away from famine. This is why we have to increase humanitarian funding to humanitarian actors who are able to respond most effectively to needs. We will endeavor to provide such funding with as much flexibility as possible.
But investing in resilient and sustainably growing economies requires even more financial resources. Together with G7 Ministers of Agriculture and of Development, we will continue our close cooperation within the G7, with our partners and with relevant international organizations, especially WTO, FAO, WFP and IFAD, as well as multilateral development banks and international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
We do this to respond to the impacts of the war on food security and nutrition in Ukraine and worldwide. We will continue co-operation through a G7 Action Plan building on elements of other proposals. We support the launch of a like-minded "Global Alliance on Food Security" developed in the G7 Development Track. We subscribe to the G7 Foreign Ministers' Commitments on the Global Food Security Consequences of Russia's War of Aggression against Ukraine agreed on May 14, 2022.
We will closely cooperate with international partners and organisations beyond the G7, with the aim of transforming political commitments into concrete actions as planned by various international initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) and key regional outreach initiatives, including towards African and Mediterranean countries with the upcoming Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis. We will actively support the United Nations Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance proposed by the UN Secretary-General. We stand ready to work with partners beyond G7 as well as civil society and the private sector to this end and welcome the Global Food Security Call to Action Ministerial in New York on 18 May. While we need to cope with the crisis on a multilateral basis and increase production capacities, we also recognize the importance of transforming our agriculture and food systems to become sustainable in alignment with the SDGs. We want to build on international processes such as the UN Food Systems Summit and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit and reaffirm our intent to fight malnutrition in all its forms.
b) Addressing the challenges of the pandemic
Vaccine equity from vaccine supply to vaccination
In acknowledging that global health security is inextricably linked to national security, development and economic goals, we recognize that the pandemic is not over until it is over for all. We reaffirm our commitment to enabling equitable global access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, including for displaced people or people in humanitarian contexts, noting the role of extensive immunization against COVID-19 as a global public good. We underline our support for all four pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), including its COVAX facility and recognize that supporting ACT-A by all means, including with adequate funding, is central to end the acute pandemic, as laid out in the G7 Foreign Ministers Action Plan. G7 members have so far pledged 18.3 billion USD to ACT-A.
Ending the acute phase of the pandemic in 2022 requires accelerating vaccination efforts further by implementing an agile and flexible approach and continued support for WHO's global vaccination strategy and target, while taking into account countries' needs and capacities. We deem critical to work with all countries to address any remaining gaps in vaccination efforts and to enable the scaling-up of sustainable regional production capacity, as detailed in the G7 Foreign Ministers Action Plan. We commit to help address logistical challenges especially on the "last mile" to ensure that vaccines translate into actual vaccinations. In this regard, we commit to accelerating bilateral efforts in coordination with multilateral efforts including through ACT-A and others.
Strengthening of the global health security architecture and improving pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
We are determined to ensure that lessons are learned and applied from the pandemic and welcome the work of G7 Health Ministers as well as G7 Development Ministers in this regard. We reiterate our strong commitment to strengthen WHO's directing and coordinating role in international health work as well as our support to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response with a view to adoption under Article 19, or under other provisions of the WHO Constitution as may be deemed appropriate by the INB. We also support the discussions on strengthening the International Health Regulations, including through improved implementation, compliance and potential targeted amendments, as well as the elaboration of a new Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR).
We encourage the work of the Quadripartite organizations (OIE, FAO, WHO and UNEP), as well as the "One Health High Level Expert Panel" and other relevant initiatives to strengthen the implementation of the One Health approach. We continue to support an expert-driven, transparent, and independent process for the next phase of the WHO-convened COVID-19 origins study and welcome the work of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO). Based on the work of various evaluation panels, we recognize the need for sustained political leadership and sustainable financing to bolster the World Health Organization and more broadly the global health security architecture for pandemic and health emergencies prevention, preparedness and response, which will contribute to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), working together towards UN High Level Meeting on UHC in 2023. We will continue to support and advance efforts to accelerate building core capacities, including through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence and its innovation and the WHO Academy. Recognizing that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major global threat, we reiterate our commitment to fight against AMR in a "One Health" approach.
c) Making democracies more resilient
As a community based on shared values, we believe that inclusive democracy, respect for human rights, effective and accountable governance, and the rule of law are the cornerstones of a peaceful and rules-based international order in which all people can thrive and every individual can enjoy equal rights. As democracies around the world are facing increased pressure from within and outside, we are committed - together with our partners - to protect and defend open, democratic societies worldwide and send out a strong signal of democratic resilience and unity. We reaffirm our efforts to strengthen respect for human rights, democratic institutions, economic security, and cyber governance, to protect civic space and to fight against hybrid threats and disinformation. We are particularly committed to addressing pressing human rights issues - climate and human rights, artificial intelligence and human rights, accountability for human rights violations and abuses, gender equality and arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations.
Strengthening of democratic institutions
In the face of mounting authoritarian threats to democracies worldwide, we commit to work collectively to strengthen inclusive democratic institutions that protect the rights and freedoms of all persons. We support the Summit for Democracy Year of Action initiated by the United States and the ongoing work of the OECD on strengthening democratic resilience with the OECD ministerial meeting on reinforcing democracy due on the 17-18 November: we are working individually and collectively to implement initiatives towards this end. We commend the efforts of non-governmental stakeholders, including civil society, academia, the private sector, and media organizations, to work to address malign behavior and foreign hostile interference in democratic systems. We commit to continue working together through the Media Freedom Coalition to defend media freedom and support independent media around the world, as part of our response to the increasing threat of disinformation. We will continue to work with stakeholders to strengthen democratic institutions, processes and principles, both at home and abroad, and particularly in vulnerable democracies. To uphold the rule of law and counter corruption, we will work to deny corrupt actors and their illicit proceeds access to our respective territories and financial systems. We recognize the corrosive impact of corruption in undermining public confidence in democracy and remain committed to convening a stronger, more unified voice in our action against corruption. We support and promote the effective implementation of our international anticorruption obligations and commitments, including those made within the G7.
Hybrid threats
We are concerned by the increasing threats to our nations, economies and societies posed by hybrid tactics and strategies, including foreign information manipulation and disinformation, which aim to interfere with our democratic processes, destabilize our societies and undermine our shared values. By working together, and with partners, we will continue to enhance our capacities to recognize, assess and counter hybrid threats. We will work across the whole of government, with the private sector and our societies. In coordination with work in other relevant organizations and fora including NATO and the EU, we will continue to share best practices and develop common approaches to tackling hybrid threats.
Geo-economic challenges and geopolitics of technology
The global economy and with it the rules-based international order is increasingly challenged by coercive policies. These include exploiting economic ties to third countries such as through trade, investment, development finance, technology and energy to pressure, induce or influence in an arbitrary, abusive or pretextual manner a foreign government's exercise of its legitimate sovereign rights or choice. This substantial rise of geo-economic challenges to our economic security requires comprehensive and holistic responses. We remain committed to work within the multilateral system as well as with like-minded international partners to address these economic security concerns including through strengthening the global economic system by setting new standards, rules or norms in related areas in support of our shared values, particularly where critical and emerging technologies are concerned. As a driver of geopolitical competition, they represent both a source of opportunities and challenges for democracies.
We underline our dedication to harness the disruptive potential of new and emerging technologies to foster human rights and democratic values, inclusive economic growth and our common security as well as to protect an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet. We recognize the need to shape advances in technology responsibly through effective governance and will continue to strengthen international collaboration to promote and protect responsible, inclusive, transparent and sustainable design, development, and use of technology that respects privacy and enables safety and security of users, in line with human rights and our common democratic values. Technology should remain neutral and not be misused or exploited for malicious activities such as unlawful surveillance and oppression. We recognize the importance of cooperation also to build resilient supply chains and strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. We reiterate our strong support for international cooperation for the development of open, private sector-led, voluntary and consensus-based standards based on inclusive, multi-stakeholder approaches underpinning emerging technologies that reflect our shared values and keep pace with innovations.
Cyber governance, fight against cybercrime, cyber capacity building, internet shutdowns
We strongly support an open, stable, interoperable, peaceful, and secure cyberspace as an essential condition for economic growth and prosperity. We commit to promote the strategic framework of international cyber stability based on the applicability of existing international law, including the Charter of the United Nations in its entirety, in and with regard to cyberspace; the implementation of regional and global confidence building measures, as well as the promotion of internationally established, voluntary, non-legally binding norms of responsible State behavior in cyberspace. We condemn malicious cyber activity and reaffirm our commitment to continue to develop measures aimed at preventing, discouraging, countering and contesting such activities. This will strengthen our collective resolve to deter malicious cyber actors.
We reaffirm our commitment to promote full respect for human rights and the protections of fundamental freedoms online and commit to continue working together through the Freedom Online Coalition. The same rights that people enjoy offline apply online and must therefore be equally protected. We also reaffirm our commitment to a multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance and urge all jurisdictions, in accordance with their international legal obligations and commitments, to refrain from intentional disruptions that render Internet and mobile network services inaccessible or unusable, thereby undermining the exercise of individual rights and freedoms. Recent events have also reasserted the need to strengthen global action against cyber criminals in the field of investigation, prosecution and international cooperation. We will continue our work to strengthen the foundations of open societies, also in the context of the Counter Ransomware Initiative.
We welcome the Declaration for the Future of the Internet and reaffirm our strong support for an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet, which enables economic growth and prosperity and promotes human rights and secure connectivity. As capacities to prevent and mitigate the impact of malicious cyber activities vary widely among countries worldwide, we recognize the need to continue to prioritize cyber capacity building cooperation and information sharing, including through the UNIDIR Cyber Policy Portal and by considering the establishment of a UN Program of Action to Advance Responsible State Behavior in cyberspace. We commit to working with multi-stakeholder partners to advance standards with respect to information integrity and disinformation including in the context of the Summit for Democracy.
G7 engagement against foreign disinformation
We are committed to protecting our information environment against foreign information manipulation and interference including disinformation designed to deceive and mislead audiences for political or financial gain, threatening to destabilize the fabric of our rules-based international system. We condemn the widespread use of disinformation, by the Russian Government, its affiliated media and proxies to support its military aggression against Ukraine. We have observed an unprecedented amount of disinformation to prepare and accompany Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We are deeply concerned about the proliferation of disinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, human-induced climate change. We are concerned that online campaigns are increasingly being used to undermine democratic processes and to deter women from participating in the public sphere. We commit to championing free and independent media at home and around the world and that online technologies are used to promote pluralism and freedom of expression.
We reaffirm our commitment to the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) as part of our ongoing, shared efforts to collectively safeguard our democracies from foreign threats, including protecting our free and open information environment, our democratic systems and open societies from the damaging effects of disinformation. We will counter attempts to interfere in our information environment and apply costs for actors engaging in such activity. In light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its use of massive disinformation and information manipulation, we commit to strengthening the G7 RRM's capacity for a coordinated response to foreign threats in the information domain. We welcome the first G7 RRM Annual Report with its focus on disinformation. It provides a useful overview of the threat landscape and emerging trends, with implications for G7 response options, promoting awareness among our publics.