G7 summit kicks off with pandemic, climate change on agenda

LONDON (AA) – The leaders of the world’s richest economies and three guest countries convened in Cornwall, England on Friday for the G7 summit.

The summit is being held for the 47th time under high-level security measures and coronavirus precautions.

US President Joe Biden is among the leaders as he is paying his first overseas visit since he was inaugurated in January.

Other leaders attending the summit hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson include French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, and European Council President Charles Michel.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are also attending the summit as guests. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also invited, is expected to attend the summit via videoconference due to COVID-19 crisis in his country.

The summit is being held in Corbis Bay, a village in Cornwall, which is under very strict protection by British security personnel, including some navy units and Special Air Service commandoes.

The main items on agenda will be ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, global geopolitical risks and climate change.

The meetings will be held behind closed doors and the event will be followed by restricted number of journalists because of the COVID-19 restrictions which prohibit large gatherings.

The summit will end with a final communique on Sunday before the leaders will leave the UK for Brussels for a NATO summit which is due on Monday.