Oxfam is deeply concerned by the outcomes of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis. At a time when urgent global crises demand bold and united action, the summit fell short of delivering the leadership the world needs.
Oxfam said that nowhere was this more apparent than in how this G7 totally missed its chance to exert any meaningful pressure toward peace in the Middle East. Even its call for a de-escalation between Israel and Iran, which is desperately needed, was corrupted by geo-political partiality and bias.
Oxfam calls for an immediate end to hostilities in the region because civilian victims are paying the price and the death toll is rising. As global attention shifts to Israel’s attacks on Iran and the consequences of military escalation between the two countries, Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza continues–killing civilians and blocking independent humanitarian agencies from delivering life-saving aid.
Twenty-three years ago, the 2002 G8 Summit in Kananaskis marked a moment of ambition, where leaders committed to an Africa Action Plan and development cooperation. Returning here as the G7, that spirit of global solidarity and cooperation was painfully absent.
This G7, by stark contrast, is instead pursuing the largest aid cuts in its history at a time of rising global need. With a planned 28% reduction by 2026 compared to 2024, these cuts are not just a policy failure but put the lives of millions of people at risk, especially those already facing hunger, poverty, and ever-worsening effects of climate change.
“The G7 has once again missed an opportunity to show global solidarity and take collective action to end conflicts, address climate change and reduce poverty and inequality. Cutting international aid to ramp up military spending is short-sighted and not the solution. In fact, it is a worrying signal for the further erosion of human rights, global stability and equity,” said Oxfam G7 lead, Jörn Kalinski.
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Although progress has been made in striking strategic partnerships with the Global South for critical minerals and renewable energy supply chains, it shouldn’t serve as a smoke screen to the current climate crisis. Climate finance and fossil fuel phase out must be prioritized as countries work towards a just transition that benefits everyone.
This G7 did little in Kananaskis to tackle the world’s multiple crises and instead it further helped to enable a global culture of impunity when it could have committed to concrete actions to prioritize people’s lives over profit and power.
In a world grappling with war, rising inequality, food insecurity, and climate breakdown, the G7’s retreat from responsibility is not only morally indefensible but also strategically short-sighted.