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Group of Eight (G8 Countries) - History, Objectives, Structure, Criticism And More
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The Group of Eight (G8 Countries) was an intergovernmental political forum active from 1997 to 2014. It consisted of eight highly industrialized countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Canada, and Russia, convening annually to address global issues like terrorism, energy, and crises. The Group of Eight expanded from the Group of Seven (G7) when Russia joined and adopted its name, but it returned to being the G7 after Russia's expulsion in 2014.
Group of Eight (G8)
In this article, we will cover the entire Group of Eight Countries, What are the Group of Eight (G8) countries, the structure and activities of the Group of Eight (G8 Countries), and some of the key highlights.
Group of Eight Countries is one of the important topics from the GS II paper for the UPSC IAS exam.
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What is Group of Eight (G8)?
The Group of Eight (G8 Countries) was formed in 1975 due to informal summit talks amongst the leaders of the main industrialized countries. It was formerly known as the Group of Seven (G7 Countries).
The former G8 consisted of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Canada, and Russia.
- They gathered once a year to promote global agreement on topics like economic development and crisis management, security, the energy crisis, and terrorism.
- The forum began with a 1975 summit held by France, which brought together delegates from six governments – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, giving rise to the term Group of Six (G6).
- With the admission of Canada in 1976, the summit became known as the Group of Seven. Russia joined the political conference in 1997, known as the G8, the following year.
Read about the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) here.
History of Group Of Eight (G8)
In the early 1970s, the Group of Eight (G8) was founded by informal meetings of leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy, and Japan in Paris to address the recession and oil crises. Over time, more countries joined, starting with Canada in 1976 and ending with Russia in 1997. The European Union has also been a non-enumerated member of G8 since 1981.
Russia was suspended from the group of 8 in 2014 due to objections over its annexation of Crimea, and it announced its permanent departure in 2017, leaving only seven active member countries. In the early 1990s, after the Cold War, the G7 (formerly G8) faced challenges translating good intentions into tangible action.
Perceived weaknesses of the United Nations in international peace and security contributed to the G8's prominent reputation as a powerful public-policy network. Although the G8 lacks participation from China, Africa, South America, and South Asia, it remains a significant concentration of political influence, attracting attention from global media.
The G8 faces challenges regarding legitimacy, as some non-members and the anti-globalization movement view it as an administration representing developed countries.
Read about India’s PM invited to G7 here.
Objectives of G8
The Group's primary objective is to discuss and develop strategies for addressing major economic and political international issues.
Read about the International Organizations Reports here!
G7 Annual Summit (Erstwhile G8 Annual Summit)
After Russia formally joined the G7 group, the first G8 summit was held in 1997, and the final in 2013. The 2014 summit was scheduled to take place in Russia. However, due to the Crimean conflict, the other seven nations chose to convene separately in Brussels, Belgium, as a G7 summit without Russia. The 48th G7 Summit 2022 occurred from 26 to 28 June 2022 in Schloss Elmau, Krün, Bavarian Alps, Germany.
Structure and Agenda of G8 Countries
- The G8 consists of eight member countries, and each member takes turns holding the presidency for a full calendar year.
- The presiding nation is responsible for setting the agenda for the G8 Summit and hosting preparatory sessions.
- In 2022, Germany will host the G7 summit throughout the year.
- The G8 aims to establish standards, make agreements, and take action to promote global economic progress and prosperity.
- Leaders within the G8 hold each other accountable to ensure that good intentions result in tangible measures for global development.
- As a platform for world leaders, the G8 facilitates discussions on international issues and addresses urgent global crises.
- Participants in the G8 forum can collaborate and find solutions to global challenges.
Summits of G8 Countries
The list of summits of G8 Countries is listed in the table below.
|
Summits of G8 Countries |
|||
|
Summit |
Year |
Venue |
Host Country |
|
2nd G7 summit |
1976 |
Dorado, Puerto Rico |
United States |
|
7th G7 summit |
1981 |
Montebello, Quebec, Canada |
Canada |
|
28th G8 summit |
2002 |
Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada |
Canada |
|
36th G8 summit |
2010 |
Huntsville, Ontario, Canada |
Canada |
|
33rd G8 summit |
2007 |
Heiligendamm on the Mecklenburg, Germany |
Germany |
|
34th G8 summit |
2008 |
Tōyako, Japan |
Japan |
|
31st G8 summit |
2005 |
Ochil Hills of Perth and Kinross, Scotland |
United Kingdom (Scotland) |
|
30th G8 summit |
2004 |
Sea Island, Georgia |
United States |
|
39th G8 summit |
2013 |
Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
Read about the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) here!
Russia Suspended from G8 over the Ukrainian Crisis
The influential group of 8 expelled Russia due to its annexation of Crimea. The G7 leading economic nations threatened to impose broad sanctions if Russia continued its actions in Ukraine. The US and six other economic superpowers cancelled the G8 conference scheduled for Sochi in June 2014 to pressure President Vladimir Putin about the military intervention in Ukraine.
The G7 leaders also supported Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. They pledged assistance in reestablishing political stability, democracy, and unity based on the interim administration's reform agenda.
Both the Crimean referendum on its future status and Russia's subsequent annexation of the Ukrainian autonomous region were condemned by the G7 leaders as "illegal and in violation of international law."
Read about the South China Sea Dispute here!
The G8 Countries Influence
In terms of world governance, the G8 is crucial. The G8 comprises the top eight economic and political powers in the world. These nations may influence policies and agendas in formal international organisations by working together. The G8 summits have been viewed as opportunities to debate various social, political, and economic concerns because of their impact and authority.
Even though the G8 countries frequently disagree on specific policies, their overarching goals and final decisions/agreements directly affect the majority of other areas across the world.
Check out the Shangri-la dialogue here.
Criticisms of the G8 Countries
- Due to stringent patent policies and other globalization-related difficulties, one criticism is that G8 members don’t do enough to help with global challenges.
- Political analyst Titus Alexander referred to the G7 as the “cabinet” of world minority control with a coordinating role in international affairs in his book Unraveling Global Apartheid. This was how the G7 functioned in 1996.
- The Heritage Foundation attacked the G8 in 2012 for emphasizing food security while ignoring economic freedom.
- Key growing economies like Mexico, South Korea, China, Brazil, and India, some of which have already overtaken G8 nations in GDP, need to be adequately represented in the G8.
- Brazilian President Lula da Silva stated in 2009 that the G8 had no legal justification for being.
- The G8 and the UN Security Council have an antiquated, Eurocentric understanding of global power dynamics, claims Ishaan Tharoor, Senior Editor of TIME magazine and Editor of TIME World.
Read about the Look West Policy here!
Concluding Remarks
While some contend that the G7’s (formerly G8) limited and homogeneous membership encourages cooperative decision-making, others counter that it regularly fails to follow through and excludes important emerging nations. All of the G7’s members share mutual concerns, such as the populist backlash against the uneven effects of globalization, which ensures that the G7 remains relevant.
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Group of Eight - FAQs
How many countries are in G8?
The former G8 members consisted of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Canada, and Russia.
Is India part of G8?
No, India is not a member of the G8 countries.
What are the Objectives of G8?
The objectives of the G8 are to promote agreement on global concerns like terrorism, energy, global security, and crisis management.
Why did Russia leave the G8?
Due to Russia's annexation of Crimea, the G7 members postponed the G8 summit that was scheduled to take place in Sochi, Russia, in June of that year and suspended Russia's participation in the group on 24 March 2014. Despite this, they refrained from permanently expelling Russia.
Where is the headquarters of G8?
The G8 group does not have offices for its members or a permanent administration. Each new term of the group presidency begins on January 1st of each year, with the presidency rotating annually among the member nations.
What is g7?
The G7 Countries are also known as the Group of Seven. It is an informal forum of seven leading industrialised countries. i.e Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The G7 countries meet every year to discuss important issues which concern global governance and order.