“The world is at an inflection point and the G7 cannot afford to stand still,” read the opening line of the C7 communique, a list of recommendations for G7 leaders written by civil society organizations across the world.
But stand still they did.
At the recent G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alta., there was an absence of conversation or direction about the world’s humanitarian crises.
These crises are profound. Every day, there is news about humanitarian need — hunger, conflict and displacement.
Since the pandemic began, global food price inflation has far outpaced headline inflation, placing a disproportionate burden on low-income countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe.
From 2022 to 2023, global food prices rose by 13.6 per cent, with food inflation in low-income peaking at 30 per cent as of mid-2023.
And this year’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, published recently by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, revealed up to 720 million people around the world experienced chronic hunger in 2024.
These alarming statistics make it clear that we need swift, unified action from governments, organizations and individuals alike.
In the past, G7 summits have been powerful catalysts for initiatives to address human security challenges.
As host of the G7 in 2010, Canada led initiatives on maternal, newborn and child health. As host in 2017, it made quality education for girls and women in developing countries a focus.
And when the United Kingdom hosted the G7 in 2021, leaders agreed to the Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Compact, a commitment to strengthen anticipatory action in humanitarian crises to prevent and mitigate suffering. Though famine hadn’t struck yet, the warning signs were clear. It was encouraging to see leaders at the time act before it was too late.
But four years later, as famine devastates the lives of millions of people in Sudan, G7 countries are instead pulling financial support for humanitarian work, and no moves have been made to reactivate or reaffirm the Famine Prevention Compact.
For millions of people like Abdul, who had a good life as a barber in Sudan before the war broke out, these interventions are the difference between life and death.
Fearing his son would be forced to join the rebel army and worried for the safety of his daughters, Abdul and his family fled Sudan on foot, walking for eight days before arriving at Wedweil Refugee Camp in South Sudan where he is forced to beg for food from neighbours every time their small ration runs out.
“Life is terrible here,” he told Foodgrains Bank staff who visited the camp in April 2025. When asked if he has dreams for the future, Abdul responded simply that he did not. It is difficult to think of dreams, he said, when your stomach is empty.
Abdul’s words are a stark reminder of the human cost behind global diplomacy.
Lead we must
In the lead up to the G7, civil society organizations from G7 countries met as the C7 and agreed on key messages for G7 leaders.
They called for leaders to invest in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, uphold international law, ensure everyone has access to food and education, and take bold action on climate and energy issues.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s remarks at the G7 focused on “leading member nations into a new era of global cooperation,” and the willingness to share Canadian “values to which others aspire.”
Despite this bold assertion, a core component of global cooperation for the G7 — providing tangible solutions to the world’s needy — was not evident.
Rather, this G7 featured joint statements on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, foreign interference, transnational crime, wildfires and critical minerals supply chains.
Still, it is not too late for Canada to step up.
Carney has asserted that “Canada is ready to lead” — and lead we must. Canada has a proud history of promoting global cooperation and a rules-based international world order.
By staying true to our values and investing in international aid, we can help build a more peaceful, stable world for all.
Now is the time for Canada to lead with purpose.
