We are very disappointed to see forced labor was deprioritized at this year’s G7 meetings. Rather than providing concrete actions, the Apulia Leaders’ Communiqué obliquely referenced continued concerns and a vague mention of intensifying efforts to address forced labor. This is a far cry from just a few short years ago, when the 2021 Carbis Bay Leaders’ Communiqué spoke far more forcefully of the scale of the problem and need to take specific action to combat forced labor.
The 2024 G7 Trade Ministers’ Communiqué was equally disappointing. Whereas in 2021 the trade ministers addressed forced labor not only in their official communiqué, but also included an additional statement going into further specifics, this year there was one paltry paragraph largely referencing past statements and efforts. The promise to “recommit to taking measures” was far from convincing, and far from what is needed at this moment.
The G7 is the leading group of democracies representing half the global economy. It has the potential to take significant steps toward tackling forced labor, a grave human rights matter impacting more than 24 million people each year. Instead, its efforts in 2024 did not come close to making concrete advancements on the commitments previously made. Quite simply, the G7 can and must do better.
