What is the G8?

none 23 Jan 2007 – 11:01 (modified on 21 May 2007 – 11:11)

by mlepeska

The “Group of Eight” or G8, is an international forum composed of 8 country members – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian, United Kingdom and the United States. A representative from the European Commission also participates. Together, these countries represent approximately 65% of the world’s economy (1). The G8 forum offers a chance for these eight countries to come to together to discuss various pressing international issues and to improve how they work together.

This international forum was hosted for the first time in France in 1975 to discuss issues of the global economy, and at that time consisted of six country members. It is a fairly informal forum, with no no permanent staff or offices. The G8 meets annually under rotating country leadership. Each country takes leadership of the forum on January 1 and the lead country plans and hosts foreign minister level meetings that then lead up to the mid-year summit which all of the country leaders attend. This year the mid-year summit will be held on June 6 – 8 in Heiligendamm, Germany.

To read more about the G8, please see the following links:

Official G8 2007 Presidency Website (in German and English)

G8 information from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia

University of Toronto G8 Information Center

(1) United Nations Development Programme

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