New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar will visit Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay in France from Thursday to Friday to take part in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) with partner countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement.
According to the MEA, EAM Jaishankar will attend the meeting at the invitation of Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
On the sidelines of the meeting, he is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts from various participating nations.
The G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled to deliberate on a range of pressing global issues, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, reconstruction efforts, maritime security concerns, and reforms in global governance systems, as per a background briefing by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Providing details of the agenda, spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said the meeting comes soon after informal consultations held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and will act as a preparatory stage for the upcoming G7 Leaders’ Summit.
“All this culminates in the preparation of the summit of Evian. It will take place between the 13th and 15th of June,” the briefing noted, adding that the discussions at the ministerial level would help shape the outcomes for leaders’ deliberations.
Officials indicated that the meeting will focus on both immediate global crises and long-term structural challenges. “Obviously, in the way that we will try as much as we can, not only to have this informal gathering of what is generally speaking a G7 meeting, but also to have some concrete results,” the spokesperson said, stressing the importance of actionable outcomes.
A major focus area will be Ukraine, with dedicated sessions on reconstruction and regional security.
“The second session will be on reconstruction. The aim is to have at least three impactful results,” the briefing stated, referring to discussions on nuclear safety, humanitarian demining, and funding mechanisms for rebuilding efforts. The role of institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is also expected to be highlighted, particularly in mobilising investments for Ukraine’s recovery.
The meeting will further address maritime security and supply chain resilience.
A separate session is also expected to focus on maritime routes and ensuring the freedom of navigation.
On the issue of governance, the G7 is looking at advancing reforms to strengthen multilateral systems. “More generally, out of that, there will be more innovative approaches to integrate horizontal threats that are endangering the sovereignties of the different states,” the briefing said, pointing to efforts to modernise global governance frameworks.
The meeting will also feature participation from several non-G7 partner countries, including India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Ukraine, reflecting a broader outreach initiative by the grouping.
“We will be having all of these sessions on Thursday and the one on the morning of Friday,” the official said, adding that side events and working lunches will provide further opportunities for detailed exchanges among participants.
(IANS)
