G7 development ministers meeting in Bangkok

The Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad, Ms. Eléonore Caroit, chaired a meeting of G7 Development Ministers on October 16, 2026, in Bangkok, on the margins of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's annual meetings. G7 ministers and the representatives from India, Kenya and the Republic of Korea, as well as executives from the World Bank Group, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Children's Fund, were present.

This meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the work carried out by the G7 under the French Presidency since the beginning of the year. Minister Caroit presented the key conclusions of the G7 Evian Progress Report, which was officially released. It outlines the progress made in defining and implementing the new approach of the G7 for development policies, based on mutually beneficial partnerships, endorsed by the Heads of State and Government at the Evian Summit (June 15-17).

In 2026, the G7 notably strengthened its commitment to nutrition and food security to address the consequences of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, of disruptions to food trade in the Black Sea in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and of El Niño. The G7 has mobilized together 2.5 billion USD of international funding since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle East, implementing the G7 and Partner Countries’ action plan on fertilizer shocks and food systems resilience, adopted in June 2026. This significant financial effort is almost exclusively in grants (around 95%), with a wide part of the funds focused on resilience and on the prevention of future crises, particularly in Africa. It complements the emergency funds provided by international financial institutions, and contributes to the G7's goal of using concessional resources more strategically, where it is most needed. This mobilisation adds up to the longer-term commitment of G7 members to more resilient food systems and fertiliser markets.

In the same spirit, G7 Development Ministers are advancing the implementation of the G7 Framework for Promoting Health Sovereignty Financing and Self-Reliance, adopted in Paris last April. G7 members welcomed that 16 National Health Compacts have been adopted and 14 more are expected by the end of 2026, contributing to progress towards increased country-led health financing. A specific focus was made on maternal, newborn and child health, exploring innovations and coordination efforts with the Executive Director of UNICEF. The current response to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC was also raised, as was the need to maintain political momentum to prevent regional spread.

Enhancing resilience against natural and external shocks was also one of the priorities of France’s G7 presidency. G7 Ministers are pursuing their support to the Nepalese authorities following the recent floods and landslides, and also aim to build long-term resilience. The deployment of early warning systems and anticipatory action for natural disasters including through various initiatives such as Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems and Early Warnings for All has already contributed to double the number of covered countries since 2015. Several G7 countries also reaffirmed their intention to mobilize funding for urgent repairs to the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement in Ukraine, which was severely damaged by a Russian strike in 2025, and called on other international partners to join this effort and contribute towards covering the remaining financing needs at the donors' conference organized in Paris on 9 November 2026, co-chaired by France, Ukraine and the EBRD.

In addition to concentrating concessional resources on the most pressing needs, the new G7 approach to development also aims to mobilize more private capital to support sustainable development. The Ministers commended the World Bank record private capital mobilization, reaching 112 billion USD in 2026. De-risking tools, including the African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), can be catalysts for further investments in Africa. Throughout the year, G7 work also involved foundations and private businesses, to increase the impact of philanthropic financing through greater use of blended finance.

These mobilization efforts are notably directed toward investment in economic corridors and infrastructure capable of generating long-term benefits for local population and driving job creation. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Partnership on Global Infrastructure and Investment and its 600 billion USD mobilization goal by 2027. They also recognized the importance of responsible and reliable critical minerals value chains and the importance of supporting the formalization of small-scale and artisanal mining, as a driver of development for producing countries and as a means of combating illicit activities linked to organized crime. 

The G7 called for continued coordination and collaboration to implement the new approach of mutually beneficial partnerships. They underlined this approach should be reflected as part of ongoing reforms of the international development system, including the ongoing review of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee. They agreed to promote this approach beyond 2026 and look forward to the G7 and G20 presidencies of the United States of America and the United Kingdom.