G7 tackles migration, economy & more, but differs on abortion
artificial intelligence, economic security and migration on the second and final day of their summit Friday, as their delegations worked on a comprehensive joint communique touching on many of the world's major geopolitical and social challenges.
The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy's southern Puglia region also discussed other major topics, such as financial support for Ukraine, the war in Gaza, climate change, Iran, the situation in the Red Sea, gender equality as well as China's industrial policy. The second day opened with a session on migration, a key issue to host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, West Asia and Asia.
Some divisions emerged, notably over the wording of the summit's final declaration, with disagreement over the lack of a reference to abortion. The statement after last year's summit in Hiroshima, Japan, expressed a commitment to provide access to safe and legal abortion, and pledged to defend gender equality and the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community. The word «abortion» was not in the draft of this year's final communique seen by the AP, although a reference to promoting sexual and reproductive health rights was.
The issue sparked a diplomatic spat between right-wing Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and liberal French president Emmanuel Macron. Asked about the issue at a G7 presser Thursday, Macron noted the French parliament's vote earlier this year to
