What We Know About The G7 Summit Between Joe Biden, Other World Leaders

U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron privately discussed issues ranging from COVID-19 to the Transatlantic alliance during Friday's G7 summit, a White House spokesperson said in a statement. The pull-aside was the first considerable face-to-face interaction between the two since Biden's January inauguration.

"The Leaders discussed a range of regional and bilateral issues, including COVID-19 and counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, and affirmed the importance of the U.S.-France partnership and the Transatlantic alliance," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said that Biden experienced a "positive and productive first day of discussions" at the summit that centered on efforts to forge a "more inclusive and fair global economy,"

Biden and Macron will meet again formally on Saturday, the spokesperson said.

G7 leaders held a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family during their summit Friday.

In one photo posted on the official G7 UK Twitter account, the queen can be seen sitting amidst other world leaders ahead of the reception at the Eden Project, a tropical botanical garden housed by bio-domes.

The queen was joined by Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, at the reception. Buckingham Palace also announced in a short statement last week that the long-serving leader of Britain will again meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at Windsor Castle on Sunday.

Sarah Sands and Denis Mukwege of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council virtually presented recommendations for the G7 leaders on how to place women "at the forefront" during the world's pandemic recovery, according to the G7 U.K. 2021 website and Twitter.

Mukwege, a Nobel peace prize laureate and doctor of gynecology, also spoke on the significance of G7 action in preventing sexual violence in conflict.

The GEAC is comprised of independent experts with the mission of "championing the core principles of freedom, opportunity, individual humanity and dignity for women and girls around the world."

The council's recommendations, which were published online Friday, center on the issues of education, economic empowerment and violence against women and girls.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Cornwall for the G7 summit.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Ramaphosa to the summit in March, saying Ramaphosa played a "key role" in the coronavirus response internationally.

"President Ramaphosa has led Africa's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and has played a key role on the issue internationally," Johnson's spokesman said at a Westminster briefing. "South African scientists and researchers have contributed a huge amount to our understanding of the virus."

Ahead of the summit, Ramaphosa has been an advocate for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

South Africa and 100 other countries are seeking a temporary waiver of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement at the World Trade Organisation. This is a point Ramaphosa aims to make with G7 leaders this week.

"The G7 Leaders' Summit is an opportunity to seek broader support for the struggle we are waging alongside India and more than 100 other countries to achieve a temporary waiver," Ramaphosa said in a briefing Monday.

He also added that this summit is an opportunity to promote future prosperity through shared values.

"Gatherings such as the G7 are important opportunities for South Africa to promote its view of a fairer and more peaceful world," Ramaphosa said. "They are also an opportunity to promote our country as a destination in which to invest and do business, as a partner for development, and as an ally in resolving the most pressing social and political issues facing humankind."

Queen Elizabeth II and other senior members of the royal family are set to meet with G7 leaders at a reception in Cornwall after the first day of summit meetings.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the reception at the Eden Project.

It was also announced that Prince Charles will call on world leaders at the summit to work together to fight against the climate crisis.

"The fight against this terrible pandemic provides a crystal-clear example of the scale and sheer speed at which the global community can tackle crises when we combine political will with business ingenuity and public mobilization," the Prince of Wales is expected to say during his address, according to a news release from Clarence House.

"We are doing it for the pandemic. We must also do it for the planet," he will add.

The Prince of Wales has long been committed to environmental issues.

"The Prince of Wales has worked for over 50 years to address environmental issues and tackle climate change. His Royal Highness believes that economic and social development will best succeed when it works in harmony, rather than in conflict, with nature," Clarence House said Thursday in a statement.

COVID-19, And Future Pandemics, Dominating G7 Summit

Newsweek's Elizabeth Crisp has more on the impact COVID-19 is having on the meeting between the world leaders. An excerpt of the story is below.

Some leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have shown up wearing face masks. After several socially distanced photos with individual attendees upon arrival, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called out, "Why don't we just do a group photo?"

But even then, attendees were spaced several feet apart for their group picture and later at the round table where they are expected to spend the day trying to hash out plans to work together on pressing global issues.

"The people of our countries now want us to be sure we are beating the pandemic together and discussing how we'll never have a repeat of what we've seen, but also that we're building back better together," Johnson said in brief opening remarks that were open to the media before the private discussions began.

During the first session of the G7 summit, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the United Kingdom will provide £430 million for educational opportunities for children in the world's poorest countries.

"It is a source of international shame that every day around the world children bursting with potential are denied the chance to become titans of industry, scientific pioneers or leaders in any field, purely because they are female, their parents' income or the place they were born," Johnson said in a statement.

"I am calling on other world leaders, including those here at the G7, to also donate and put us firmly on a path to get more girls into the classroom, address the terrible setback to global education caused by coronavirus and help the world build back better," he added.

This aid will go to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the largest fund dedicated to education in developing countries.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed Johnson's gesture as a reflection of the summit's common property to ensure "a recovery for all."

She said the EU will also provide €700 million in support to the GPE from 2021 to 2027.

"I am proud we will be supporting the Global Partnership for Education to help transform education systems around the world," von der Leyen said in a statement. "Supporting education, in particular for girls and women is key to give the young generation good prospects in life."

At least a dozen UK police working at the G7 summit are now self-isolating after one officer tested positive for coronavirus.

The infected officer was being accommodated on the MA Silja Europa ferry, which is housing 1,000 police officers and G7 staff members.

"As part of our testing regime, during the early hours of 11 June we have identified one officer who is currently supporting G7 policing and accommodated on the ferry, has given a positive lateral flow test for COVID-19," the Devon and Cornwall Police said in a statement.

"The officer, plus those who have come into close contact, are currently self-isolating at another designated location," the statement from police said. "All who have come into close contact or are in the bubble of those who tested positive are also currently self-isolating which equates to 12 officers in total."

French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for G7 leaders to make "concrete commitments" to meet global challenges.

"We have a responsibility to set clear goals and make concrete commitments to meet the challenges of our time," Macron said in a tweet. "This G7 must be one of action. I am glad to see you again, dear partners and friends. Let's get to work, together"

According to CNN, the French Embassy in the UK described the summit on Friday as a "historic opportunity" for leaders to address issues facing the world. Such issues include the global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and vaccine distribution; fighting global inequality; and tackling the climate crisis.

Macron's office released a statement earlier noting that European Union leaders have declared China a "systematic rival" ahead of the G7 summit.

"The European position is clear: China is a systemic rival, a partner on global issues and a competitor," Macron's office said in a statement.

As world leaders gather in England for the G7 summit, so do hundreds of climate change protests.

Activists joined a rally in St Ives organized by the Extinction Rebellion climate activism group. Protesters held flags that read "G7 drowning in promises" and "Action not words."

"I'm inspired by the youth who are leading Fridays for Future," 56-year-old protesters Jill Eastland told the Associated Press. "I think they are amazing, and if we have any hope, the hope is with them and not with our rich, greedy, lying leaders of the world meeting for the G-7."

Climate change is a top issue on the G7 summit agenda.

The G7 leaders lined up for a photo on the beaches of St Ives moments ago.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was front and center, surrounded by U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

The leaders were also joined by European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

Morning Consult Political Intelligence released updated approval ratings for the G7 leaders, as of June 10.

Draghi leads the group with a 65 percent approval rating among all adults, while Suga is at the bottom with a 27 percent approval rating, amid growing COVID-19 cases and controversy surrounding the Tokyo Olympic Games to open in July.

Merkel has a 54 percent approval rating and Biden is close behind with 52 percent. Johnson and Trudeau are just below 50 percent while Macron's approval rating is 35 percent.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hoping for "values-based multilateralism" at the G7 summit.

"We put in a strong word here for multilateralism here, and for values-based multilateralism," Merkel said.

She added that President Biden "represents the commitment to multilateralism that we have been missing in recent years."

Merkel also noted that in order to meet these goals, G7 leaders will need to cooperate with China.

"We need everyone in the world—we want to work together, particularly in the areas of climate protection and biodiversity. We will never achieve solutions there without China," she said.

The chancellor also said she hopes G7 leaders achieve "very good results" on their commitment to donate 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses.

"I hope that we will achieve very good results to show that we're not just thinking of ourselves, but we're also thinking of those who don't yet have the opportunity to get vaccinated—above all, African countries, but others, too," she said.

The White House announced Friday that President Joe Biden will welcome the chancellor in Washington July 15 to discuss their "commitment to close cooperation on a range of common challenges, including ending the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the threat of climate change and promoting economic prosperity and international security based on our shared democratic values."

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and first lady of the United States Jill Biden visited the Connor Downs Academy in Hayle, England, during the G7 summit.

The pair is touring the preschool and learning how the children care for rabbits. Biden was seen carrying a bowl of carrots when they went outside to see the bunnies.

The teacher told CNN that the children are learning about how to make the world greener and a better place, "which is what we know the G7 is all about."

Biden is a longtime English teacher, and Middleton is the mother of three young children.

Biden said early childhood education during the pandemic is "very important."

"It is the foundation of everything. I can tell you that as a teacher in the upper levels, if they don't have a good foundation, they fall so far behind," she said. "So this is amazing to see what these children are doing, and how far advanced they are at 4 and 5 years old."