Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will join at least 12 other heads of state and government invited by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to next week’s Group of Seven (G7) summit, officials said on Friday. The lengthy guest list indicates that Italy wants to broaden the G7’s influence. “The G7 is not a closed-off group; rather, it is a coalition of nations with similar views on core values and norms. It becomes globalised,” a senior official declared.
Diplomats released a list of attendees for the June 13–15 meeting, and it included dignitaries from Turkey, Algeria, Kenya, Mauritania, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and India. Both Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are travelling abroad for the first time since their respective election victories. Ramaphosa lost the majority in South Africa.
The presence of King Abdullah of Jordan and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia at the Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, talks highlights concerns about the status quo in the Middle East. This is the first time a Saudi official has been invited to a G7 conference. Saudi Arabia is frequently criticised for violating human rights.
