G7 in Cornwall: Boris Johnson speaks of Carbis Bay to leaders

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke of his hoping at meeting the other “face to face” for the summit due to be held in Carbis Bay from June 11 to 13.

In addition to the G7 – which is made up of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the USA and the EU – the leaders will be joined by those of Australia, India and South Korea, who will attend as guests.

Meeting the other G7 countries on Friday by video conference, Mr Johnson said in his opening remarks: “I want you to know that we want more than anything to ensure that the next time we all meet, it will be in person at beautiful Carbis Bay, one of the pearls of the Cornish riviera.”

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During the discussion that followed the leaders agreed that they would "intensify cooperation" over the health response to Covid-19, saying in a joint statement afterwards: "The dedication of essential workers everywhere represents the best of humanity, while the rapid discovery of vaccines shows the power of human ingenuity."

They added that the pandemic showed the world "needed stronger defences against future risks to global health security."

The leaders vowed to work with the WHO, G20 and others, especially through the Global Health Summit in Rome, to bolster the structures in place for global health and health security.

"We have provided unprecedented support for our economies over the past year totalling over $6 trillion across the G7. We will continue to support our economies to protect jobs and support a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery," they added, also reaffirming their support to the world's most vulnerable countries.

Prime minister Boris Johnson holds a G7 video call Picture: Simon Dawson / No10 Downing Street

The leaders' statement went on to say that recovery from Covid-19 must "build back better for all" and that the global ambitions on climate change and the reversal of biodiversity loss would be at the centre of the plans.

"We will make progress on mitigation, adaptation and finance in accordance with the Paris Agreement and deliver a green transformation and clean energy transitions that cut emissions and create good jobs on a path to net zero no later than 2050," they said, adding that they were "committed to levelling up our economies" so that no geographic region or person, irrespective of gender or ethnicity, was left behind.

They said they would agree "concrete action" on these priorities at the G7 Summit in June, while also supporting Japan to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer instead, in a "safe and secure manner" as a "global unity in overcoming Covid-19."