Italy will hold the 2024 term presidency of the G7, which consists of the United States of America (USA), Italy, Japan, Germany, England, France and Canada. G7’s agenda items this year are;it is expected to be conflict in the Middle East, food security, climate change, development in Africa, relations with China and artificial intelligence[1]. Another important issue will be the war in Ukraine. Allegedly, the G7 will not allow support for Ukraine to fade due to political conflicts in Brussels and Washington.
The effort of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is on the right of the political spectrum among European governments, to transform the currently existing liberal democratic identity within the European Union (EU) into a more traditional “White European” identity will be one of the main topics of discussion within the EU in 2024. In this context, it can be said that the “moral” scope of the support given to Ukraine will be open to discussion within the West.
One of the issues that will be discussed at the G7 in 2024 will be artificial intelligence. It is said that the dangers posed by artificial intelligence will be a key issue for Italy’s G7 presidency and that a session will be devoted to the subject at the summit to be held in Puglia on 13-15 June. Italy wants to focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on employment and inequality, while also creating “ethical guardrails” for the development of the technology. Rome will also propose creating a steering committee to ensure greater G7 coordination on artificial intelligence.[2]
Stating that supporting the development of Africa will be one of the main themes of the G7, Prime Minister Meloni said that it is vital to increase local economies and living standards in order to deter immigrants from going to Europe:[3]
“What I think should be done in Africa is not charity. What needs to be done in Africa is to cooperate and establish serious strategic relations as equals, not as plunderers. What needs to be done in Africa is to defend the right to ‘not have to migrate’… and this is done with investments and a strategy.”
Making a press statement after the G20 Leaders Summit held in New Delhi on 9-10 September 2023, Meloni stated that Africa was among the main agenda items at the G20 and that this situation would continue during the G7 presidencies:[4]
“It is no coincidence that Africa was at the center of conversations at yesterday’s plenary session. We attended the meeting where European Union (EU) leaders and African leaders were present. In particular, increasing instability in the Sahel was mentioned. There was talk about immigration. Investments were mentioned, the food crisis was talked about. There is also a desire to increase cooperation with countries. Africa will be one of the main topics in Italy’s G7 Presidency next year.”
It is not a coincidence that Georgia Meloni, one of the political actors concerned about the increasing migration from Africa to Europe, touches on the development of Africa at every opportunity. The demographic change that immigrants will create is incompatible with the concepts of “Italianness” and “Europeanness” in Prime Minister Meloni’s political position. The conflict that Meloni, who hopes that investments in Africa will alleviate the wave of immigration, will experience with the concept of “multiculturalism” established with the liberal democratic perspective currently encouraged by the cultural hegemony in the West, will cause polarization in European public opinion in the future.
One of the issues that Georgia Meloni brings to the agenda in global politics is the Hamas-Israel conflict. In her statement on January 24, 2024, Meloni said that he did not agree with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently reiterated his opposition to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.[5]“Italy has always supported a Palestinian state, so I do not share the Israeli Prime Minister’s opinion on this issue,” Meloni said in his speech in parliament.
As a result, Italy is expected to create its own agenda during the 2024 G7 Term Presidency and to impose its own “European security” concept in the dialogues it establishes with other countries, especially the EU. Her efforts to encourage support for Ukraine, regulate artificial intelligence so that it does not create difficulties in the labor market, prevent migration waves from Africa, and resolve conflicts in the Middle East can be read in this context.
[1] Balmer, C., et al, “Italy looks to use G7 chair to boost support for Ukraine, scrutinise AI”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/italy-looks-use-g7-chair-boost-support-ukraine-scrutinise-ai-2024-01-23/, (Date of Access: 24.01.2024).
[2] Ibıd.
[3] Vagnoni, G., “Italy to put Africa development, AI at heart of its G7 presidency”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/africa-ai-be-key-g7-issues-italy-meloni-says-2024-01-04/, (Date of Access: 24.01.2024).
[4] Seçkin, B., “İtalya Başbakanı Meloni: Afrika, gelecek yıl İtalya’nın G7 Dönem Başkanlığı’nda temel konulardan biri olacak”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/italya-basbakani-meloni-afrika-gelecek-yil-italyanin-g7-donem-baskanliginda-temel-konulardan-biri-olacak/2988441, (Date of Access: 24.01.2024).
[5] “Italy’s Meloni Says She Disagrees With Netanyahu On Formation Of Independent Palestine State”, Haberler, https://en.haberler.com/italy-s-meloni-says-she-disagrees-with-netanyahu-1913020/, (Date of Access: 24.01.2024).
