Carbis Bay (United Kingdom) (AFP)

After the reunion or the first contacts, the leaders of the great powers of the G7 get to the heart of the matter on Saturday by tackling the prevention of health crises and the defense of multilateralism.

The opening of the summit in the seaside resort of Carbis Bay allowed the heads of state and government of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and the United States to reconnect with in-person exchanges together for the first time in nearly two years.

During the traditional family photo back to the beach or during a reception around Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs, Charles and William, under the huge greenhouses of the "Eden Project", the leaders of the G7 were able to reconnect Friday.

They were also able to welcome new members of the club such as US President Joe Biden, determined to prove America's return to the world stage and unify its allies against China and Russia.

On Saturday, the second of the three days of the summit, the leaders will still be able to display their understanding in front of the cameras during a barbecue at nightfall on the beach with a la carte marshmallow roasted over a wood fire and a rum cocktail.

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But the program promises to be busy.

Collective working sessions and one-on-one meetings will follow one another at a sustained pace for the leaders who will be joined by their counterparts from South Korea, South Africa, Australia, as well as the secretary general of UN Antonio Guterres.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will intervene virtually, given the serious health situation in his country.

- Vaccines faster -

The response to the pandemic is still one of the big pieces of the day, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson having greeted the day before at the opening of the summit an "extraordinary opportunity" to "build back better", in a "fairer" way and even "more feminine", he added after a moment of hesitation.

After promises to donate vaccines to poor countries to end the pandemic as quickly as possible, leaders want to find ways to prevent such a crisis, which has already claimed 3.7 million lives worldwide, does not happen again.

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The G7 will sign the "Carbis Bay declaration" presented by Downing Street as "historic" and which will include a series of commitments to prevent any new health disaster.

This will involve reducing the time to develop vaccines, treatments and diagnostics, strengthen health surveillance, and initiate reform of the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen it.

- Explanations on Brexit -

"I am proud that for the first time today the main democracies in the world are united to ensure that we are never again prepared" for a major health crisis, according to Boris Johnson.

The debate could also focus on the thorny issue of the suspension of patents on vaccines in order to speed up their production.

The United States and France are in favor, but Germany is against it.

The day should also have a very diplomatic tone, between defending multilateralism and reviewing international political issues, which should give a large place to China and Russia.

The protectionist tendencies of certain countries in the face of the pandemic and the tensions in supply chains, symbolized by the global shortage of semiconductors, also worry the G7.

The leaders intend to assert their "values" of liberal democracies, even if this "will of course involve a confrontation with Russia, but also, in certain respects, with China", warned the German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday before the opening of the Mountain peak.

Joe Biden is pushing in particular for a large infrastructure plan in Africa and Asia, in order to counter the Chinese initiative of "New Silk Roads" aimed at financing large projects abroad to increase its influence.

Northern Ireland should also be invited into the discussions with a meeting which promises to be difficult in the morning between Boris Johnson and the two EU leaders, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, with the hope of iron out post-Brexit tensions.

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The British Prime Minister will also discuss with French President Emmanuel Macron, who this week warned that the agreements signed were not "renegotiable" on Brexit despite London's desire to reverse certain provisions specific to Northern Ireland which provoke the anger of unionists loyal to the crown and weaken the peace obtained in 1998 after three decades of violence.

"The G7 is not the place where (Boris Johnson) will necessarily seek an immediate solution," swept his spokesperson on Friday evening.

© 2021 AFP