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The 2021 G7 Summit was held over three days from the 11th to the 13th of June in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, bringing together leaders of the world’s major democracies to discuss the rebuilding of the world post-pandemic. 

The Summit included representatives of all G7 nations as well as invited guests from Australia, South Africa, South Korea and India, coming together to formulate collaborative plans for the future. These plans included exploring how to continue the fight against coronavirus and how to create a greener and more sustainable future. 

The summit was of particular interest to Professor Jake Lynch, Associate Professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney.  

Peacebuilding: Next Steps 

The G7 Summit kicked off a series of international peacebuilding events and meetings around the world. A definition of peacebuilding can be seen in the embedded short video. 

The day following the Summit, leading figures from NATO met to discuss peacebuilding initiatives. US President Joe Biden met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Geneva on the 16th of June. One of the primary aims of these meetings was to discuss conflict and determine measures to address challenges caused by conflict, in pursuit of a more peaceful global society.  

The hope of meetings between global leaders such as these is to help clarify what steps need to be taken next not only by governments, but also by non-governmental peacebuilding groups around the world. 

The Influence of NGOs 

At present, the influence of NGOs on these meetings and the subsequent outcomes is minimal. While there are undeniable benefits to world leaders forging positive relationships, the impact of these meetings will remain limited until recommendations from NGOs specialising in peacebuilding are included. Many of these NGOs have gathered large volumes of data in relation to conflict resolution, which could be utilised to develop effective strategies for the future. 

Taxing Multinationals 

One topic that was covered at the G7 Summit was the taxing of multinationals. Steps were taken by all seven nations to implement strategies to force multinationals to pay more tax in all countries where they do business. Each nation agreed to a minimum corporate tax rate of 15%. While this is still lower than existing rates, it does represent an improvement compared to rates paid using tax avoidance schemes. 

The infographic attachment looks at the role of women in peacebuilding.