Berlin, Germany and Tokyo, Japan – Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) Dean Tetsushi Sonobe described the outlook for ADBI’s hosting of Think7 (T7), the Group of 7’s (G7) official think tank engagement group, during a T7 handover webinar.
The event marked the transfer of the T7 host role to ADBI as part of Japan’s 2023 G7 presidency. Under the 6-month T7 Japan process, experts from G7 and non-G7 countries will provide research-based policy support for the G7, guided by the theme Addressing Crises, Reigniting Sustainable Development.
ADBI succeeds the Global Solutions Initiative and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability, the inaugural hosts of T7 during Germany’s 2022 G7 presidency and the organizers of the T7 handover webinar.
Dean Sonobe noted T7 Japan’s focus on promoting multilateralism and G7 engagement with developing countries to help address global challenges. He added that T7 Japan will collaborate closely with Think20 (T20), the Group of 20’s (G20) think tank engagement group to be hosted by India via its 2023 G20 presidency.
The webinar also featured remarks from Naobumi Yokota, Director of the Policy Planning Division at the Japan Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Foreign Policy Bureau. He stressed the value of T7 research for building G7 capacity to promote inclusive and sustainable growth and development after COVID-19.
Policy makers and experts will convene virtually to discuss T7 Japan research proposals and next steps during the T7 Inception Conference on 12 December 2022. The T7 Japan process will culminate with the 2023 T7 Summit in Tokyo and online on 27-28 April, ahead of the G7 Hiroshima Summit on 19-21 May.