EastWest – The point of the G7

Do G7 meetings still make sense? Or are they just a waste of time? Do these G7 summits have an impact on our daily lives? Or are these summits a bit like New Year’s resolutions, when we make plenty of principled promises only to forget them the next day?

The world’s seven biggest economic players are set to meet in Taormina, Italy at the end of May this year. For four of the leaders in attendance, this will be their first taste of the G7 format. But this won’t grab media attention, nor will the meeting’s agenda. Along with gossip about the ladies’ outfits and US President Donald Trump’s course selection, the headlines are sure to focus on the inadequate and anachronistic format and its questionable usefulness.