As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, the United States quickly adjusted its agenda and schedule for the G7 summit to focus on crisis response.
Rather than the priorities announced in October 2019 – strengthening growth and prosperity, reducing regulations, eliminating trade barriers and opening energy markets – the G7 this year returned to its erstwhile status as a crisis group. President Trump hosted the G7’s first emergency summit on 16 March 2020, followed by a second summit one month later, both in virtual rather than physical form.
The G7 thus became the fast, first rapid responder to the crisis among global summit institutions – a status reflected in this year’s edition of the summit briefing book, G7 USA: The Virtual Year. The publication features prominent voices from government, the business world and civil society reflecting on a year like no other.
Khaled Algaay
The Global Governance Project
connect@globalgovernanceproject.org
https://www.globalgovernanceproject.org
