Positioning Canada’s Leadership Ahead of the Fall 2025 G7 Ministerial Meetings

Cooperation Canada — as chair of the Civil 7 (C7) — is playing a key role in shaping the global development agenda by ensuring civil society voices inform Canada’s leadership on the world stage. The upcoming G7 Ministerial Meetings in the fall of 2025 will be defining moments for Canada to showcase its leadership in global development and to cap its presidency with impact and continuity. This fall’s crowded agenda — which includes Canada’s high-level engagement at the G20, COP30, the World Bank/IMF meetings and the UN General Assembly — underscores what is at stake for Canada’s global position.

It is clear that multilateralism is under strain: resources are tightening and crises are colliding, from conflict and inequality to climate shocks and financing gaps. Canada has the credibility to lead in defining the agenda. How it leverages these moments will shape its foreign policy direction in the years ahead. With its record as a bridge-builder, Canada can lead with principled and practical priorities that carry weight with our partners and across major forums.

Cooperation Canada recommendations

Informed by consultations with our members and beyond, who are leaders in international cooperation and development as well as humanitarian action, Cooperation Canada is urging the federal government to champion these priorities at the G7 ministerial meetings this fall.

Specifically, we are calling on the government to prioritize five interconnected commitments:

Safeguard Official Development Assistance (ODA) in support of those in the most vulnerable situations
Defend and act in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and ensure urgent humanitarian access in conflict-affected contexts
Champion the call for reform of the global financial architecture for equitable development finance and debt justice
Centre gender justice across economic development, health, education, food security and climate action initiatives
Strengthen civic space as the bedrock of accountable and resilient development

Cooperation Canada looks to continue engaging with decision-makers throughout the fall Ministerial schedule to push for bold Canadian leadership informed by those impacted by G7 policies.