Chancellor Angela Merkel drew a positive conclusion from the first G-7 summit with the new American President Joe Biden. “With the election of Joe Biden as American President, the world is not such that it no longer has any problems. But we can work with renewed vigor to solve these problems, ”said Merkel on Sunday on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Cornwall, south-west England. When asked whether she had received a farewell present from her colleagues in the group of the large democratic industrial nations, the Chancellor replied: “I only received good wishes. And no gifts. ”After almost 16 years as Chancellor, Merkel will no longer run in the Bundestag election in September.

Merkel attested to the G-7 summit that he had "made a very clear commitment to a rules and values-based multilateral world".

“The G7 want to get involved in the big issues that we have to tackle today.” Of course, the first thing to do is to fight the pandemic - everyone agrees that it can only be defeated globally.

“We want to work for a better world,” promised the Chancellor.

The “America first” policy of Biden's predecessor Donald Trump had placed a heavy burden on the work of the G7 in recent years.

There was also a difficult relationship between Trump and Merkel.

Invitation to cooperation

They very much welcome the fact that the G-7 group has become more specific. "Sometimes we express our ideals, but it is not yet quite clear that we also say: Where are we perhaps not as good as the G7 (...) as we should be." That is why it is an important initiative that you want to coordinate better on infrastructure projects and finance them better. “Because we have to grapple with the fact that China, for example, is in part pursuing a very successful infrastructure policy. We can't just stand by. ”The G7 group must show“ that we are an important and successful factor in development work in the world ”.

Merkl hopes that the new G-7 task force for infrastructure projects in developing countries will make


proposals for specific projects

as early as 2022

. “Because for countries that need development, only concrete projects count,” she added. "I hope that at the next G-7 summit - that will be in Germany - we can already present such projects." In 2022, Germany will take over the G-7 presidency from Great Britain.

Merkel described the results of the summit on climate protection as a “strong commitment” - even if the


rich industrial nations could not agree on a uniform date to phase out coal. That was not due to Germany, "others have not yet verified the plans so far," said Merkel. "But I think the commitment to climate protection, the 1.5 degree target, the Paris Agreement from all G-7 countries: That is a strong commitment." Also the host countries of the summit such as Australia, South Korea, South Africa and India would undertake to adhere to these standards, said Merkel. "I think we are setting a good example." According to the current status, Germany wants to phase out climate-damaging coal-fired power generation by 2038 at the latest.

Climate protectors had expressed their disappointment with the G-7 plans in the fight against global warming.

Without timelines, these are “just empty promises,” said Catherine Pettengell from the Climate Action Network.

“The G-7 heads of state and government are still not translating their words into action.” Investments in coal should end immediately.

Merkel also addressed the issue of human rights.

There are “a multitude of international places where democracy cannot be lived as we would imagine.

That people suffer from. ”The Chancellor explicitly mentioned the issue of forced labor in China.

"Overall, we believe that democracy is best established when we have rules-based, multilateral cooperation that we all invite."