On Tuesday June 17, 2025 Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded the 2025 G7 summit, held in Kananaskis, Alberta. This marked the seventh time the country has hosted the coveted summit that brings together global leaders for the purpose of addressing challenges and opportunities. The summit served as a defining moment for Canada’s international presence and a chance to show unity between the world’s leading democracies. However, Trump’s early exit from the summit raised questions how united these world leaders are.
In his welcoming remarks, Carney spoke of Canada’s duty to convene global partners not just to respond to crisis but to be proactive in the pursuit of solutions. He acknowledged the summit’s presence on Treaty 7 territory, reaffirming Canada’s commitment to reconciliation and paying respect to Indigenous Peoples.
The summit kicked off with leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union expressing a sense of urgency amidst the global unrest and escalations in various regions. Yet, the tone of the summit conveyed ambition and pointed in the direction of global peace and prosperity.
The G7 leaders released a joint statement on the potential of a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence (AI) to grow prosperity, benefit societies and address pressing global challenges. “To realize this potential, we must better drive innovation and adoption of secure, responsible, and trustworthy AI that benefits people, mitigates negative externalities, and promotes our national security,” said Carney. World leaders agreed to collectively power AI into the future, work with emerging markets, and partner with developing countries to close digital divides, in line with the United Nations Global Digital Compact.
The leaders also announced a G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan that builds on the five-point plan for critical minerals and security established during Japan’s G7 Presidency in 2023 and advanced by Italy in 2024. The Action Plan will focus on diversifying the responsible production and supply of critical minerals, encouraging investments in critical mineral projects and local value creation, and promoting innovation. Statements were also released on various topics such as quantum innovation, preventing, fighting and recovering from wildfires, fighting transnational crime and countering foreign interference.
However, the Summit in Kananaskis was not only about policy. It was a statement about Canada’s diplomatic ambition. From bilateral meetings with France and India, to hosting the President of South Africa for the first time in the history of the G7 summit, Prime Minister Carney made it clear that “we are not just spectators of global change, we are shapers of it.”
Emmanuel Okusanya, Intern
intern1@ispartnersinc.com