Leading change in peacebuilding and development from the perspective of the g7 +

The 5th Ministerial Meeting of the g7+, an intergovernmental organization created in 2010 by Timorese initiative and constituted by 20 post-conflict countries, was held on 26 and 27 June 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal.

The main objectives of the meeting were the consolidation of the grouping of the member states of the g7+ in order to make the organization increasingly influential in the global scenario and also to gather consensus for the construction of stability in the member countries, addressing fragility and adapting to an approach which faces the challenges that hinder peace and economic resilience.

The g7 + will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year, from its inception as an intergovernmental organization and its influence is now recognized globally. In this way, this meeting served for the member states to analyze the situation of the organization and what has already been achieved by the g7 +, as the only platform where countries affected by conflict courageously recognize their own challenges and approach them collectively.

The intergovernmental organization is a forum where the voices of member countries seek to influence the discourse on peace, building and development of State, through a “Fragile to fragile” model of cooperation, learning and mutual peace and stability.

During the meeting, the heads of member states outlined the measurable benchmarks for peace, stability and resilience and the set of actions that should be taken to achieve those goals. Strategic priorities for the period 2019-2021 were also defined and recommendations on reforms for greater international engagement, notably with the United Nations.

At the g7+ meeting, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Francis Kai Kai, was unanimously reappointed by the 20 members of the organization as President of the g7+ until 2021 and the Deputy Minister for Policy of the Ministry of Afghanistan, Naheed Sarabi, was appointed vice-chair of the g7 +. José Ramos Horta, former President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, was appointed special representative of the g7+.

The g7+, originally founded by seven countries, now comprises 20 countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean and the Middle East: Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Yemen , Solomon Islands, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste and Togo. The total population of the nations that make up the g7 + is 1.5 billion people.

Representatives and focal points of the member states of the organization and of other countries, development partners and observers participated in the fifth g7 + meeting.

url: http://timor-leste.gov.tl?lang=en&p=22291