The T7 (Think7) Summit titled “G7 Countries and the World: Rebuilding Bridges”, organised by the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) was held in Rome. Sait Akman, Director of TEPAV's Center for G20 Studies and co-chair of the T7 Task Force on the Future of the Global Economy represented TEPAV in the event to discuss policy recommendations for the G7.
TEPAV attended T7 Summit titled “The G7 and the World: Rebuilding Bridges” was organised by two leading Italian think tanks, the International Institute for Political Studies (ISPI) and the Institute of International Affairs (IAI), and hosted in Luiss University in Rome.
In the Summit, The T7 Communique was delivered to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation officials to be presented to the representatives of the G7 countries. The Communique includes policy recommendations regarding global governance, green transition and sustainable development, global economic and trade issues, and digitalisation in the context of increasing tensions between the G7 countries and especially Russia and China as a result of geopolitical tensions and rising competition. During the Summit, panels were held to discuss global security issues in the context of Russia-Ukraine conflict and likely implications of trade wars, climate change, and developments in artificial intelligence.
During the Italian presidency which celebrated the fifteeth anniversaryof the establishment of G7, representive from several think tanks and academia worked on solutions around four separate Task Forces on Peace, Security and Global Governance; Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development; Future of the Global Economy; and Science and Digitalization for a Better Future.
Dr. Sait Akman, Director of TEPAV’s Center for G20 Studies, participated in the Task Force meetings and the Panel to discuss the ongoing trade conflicts and economic security issues between the G7 countries and China.
“Turkey is of strategic importance in the G7 context”
Speaking at the panel on “Are Trade Wars Inevitable?” at the Summit, Akman emphasized that while the G7 countries have expressed their commitment to market economy values and the principle of multilateralism, they have often deviated from these values and principles among themselves and vis-à-vis China, and have resorted to certain unilateral practices such as subsidies which they accuse China of using, and that they have not been able to reach a full agreement on the reform of the multilateral trading system. He also stated that the concept of “like-minded countries” which has been expressed by G7 in various statements has not been clearly defined and that Turkey's importance in this context should be better considered.
For detailed information about the T7 Italy Summit and TEPAV G20 Studies Center Director Sait Akman's speech, please click here.
