G7 Leaders Agree to New Initiative to Fight Economic Coercion

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) hosts a working session as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023. (AFP)
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) hosts a working session as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023. (AFP)
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G7 Leaders Agree to New Initiative to Fight Economic Coercion

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) hosts a working session as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023. (AFP)
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) hosts a working session as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023. (AFP)

Group of Seven leaders on Saturday agreed to a new initiative to counter economic coercion, and pledged action to ensure that any actors attempting to weaponize economic dependence would fail and face consequences.

The initiative, dubbed Coordination Platform on Economic Coercion, will use early warning and rapid information sharing on economic coercion with members meeting regularly for consultations, the leaders said in a statement.

"The world has encountered a disturbing rise in incidents of economic coercion that seek to exploit economic vulnerabilities," the G7 leaders said in a statement following a meeting in Hiroshima, Japan.

The statement did not identify China, but in details released on Friday that outlined the proposed initiative, the British government pointed to attempts by China to use its economic power in political disputes with Australia and Lithuania.

The statement also committed the G7 leaders to deepen cooperation on hardening supply chains and called for a bigger role for lower income countries in promoting economic resilience.

They urged all nations to adhere to principles of "transparency, diversification, security, sustainability, and trustworthiness and reliability" in building supply chain networks.

The group also agreed to deepen cooperation in information sharing as it looks to establish new standards for next generation technologies.



Saudi and Qatari Finance Ministers Sign Cooperation MoU

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan and Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari signed an MoU to cooperate in the finance sector. SPA
Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan and Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari signed an MoU to cooperate in the finance sector. SPA
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Saudi and Qatari Finance Ministers Sign Cooperation MoU

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan and Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari signed an MoU to cooperate in the finance sector. SPA
Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan and Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari signed an MoU to cooperate in the finance sector. SPA

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan and Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari have signed an MoU to cooperate in the finance sector.

The MoU was signed Thursday on the sidelines of the 122nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar.
‏Aljadaan said that the MoU is part of efforts to strengthen relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the finance sector, including microeconomic policy, public sector laws, and legislation to enhance economic growth in the region.
‏Al Kuwari noted the importance of the MoU and its potential impact in exchanging expertise and information in the finance sector to enhance and strengthen relations between the two nations.